Back to the Beginning
by NikkiB1973
Summary: Can reliving the past change the future? Set initially at the end of Eclipse but then reverts back to the beginning of New Moon. AU of course.
1. Chapter 1

**Back to the Beginning**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **Set in Eclipse initially. AU of course!**_

 **Prologue**

She was mad. Looking into Victoria's fiery red eyes cemented this for Bella. Her curly red hair blew wildly around her face, her feline features, distorted with rage, sent Bella's heart careering wildly in her chest. In the distance she could see Edward and Seth fighting Victoria's companion. Poor Riley, duped by his red headed lover into fighting for a cause that he wasn't invested in, had learned the truth. He had been used. But it was too late. Even with this sickening knowledge he tried to fight for his very existence. He lashed out wildly at Seth, winding the young shifter and sending him spiralling to the ground. Bella felt tears prick at her eyes as Victoria crouched low like a cat coiled to spring. She laughed cruelly, her eyes flicking to Edward, who was still trying to finish Riley. Bella was alone, unprotected, left to the mercy of her redheaded tormentor. Edward had failed, miserably.

Bella closed her eyes. She would rather not see her slayer's satisfaction as she ripped her to shreds in front of Edward's eyes. She couldn't bear to see the agony on his face as he watched her die right in front of him. Bella dug her nails into her palms, drawing blood. She raised her chin defiantly, waiting. Then there was a sibilant hiss like a snake close to her ear. Bella kept her eyes squeezed shut. There was a whimper from Seth's wolf. There was a rush of air, cold fingers gripping her upper arms, then pain, so acute, seared through her head. Bella cried out, her eyes unintentionally flaring open as she lay broken against the rock. Blackness consumed her vision. All she could see was the vibrant red of Victoria's hair as the vampire bent down and whispered something in her ear. "Go back."

 _Then nothing…._

* * *

"Bella, did you hear what I said." The blackness dissipated. Bella found herself standing in her own driveway, next to her old truck. The iron monster felt cold under her touch as she rested her hand on the hood. Edward was beside her, his expression inscrutable. Bella stared at him, confused, disorientated. Was she dead? "Bella, come for a walk with me." Edward took her hand, his fingers lightly holding hers. He was acting as if her touch burned. It was like the early days of their relationship all over again. Him afraid to touch her in case he couldn't control his urges.

"Why?" Bella asked. She shook her head, gazing at him. Her eyes finally wandering from his beautiful face, examining the clothes he was wearing. Edward never wore the same clothes twice, but these, these she had seen once before. They were burned in her memory. It was the same light grey shirt, unbuttoned to reveal a white t-shirt underneath, teamed with dark blue jeans that he had worn the day he had left her alone in the woods, citing that he didn't love her anymore, and that he, along with his whole family, were leaving Forks forever.

"Just come." Edward tugged lightly on her hand, motioning for her to follow.

"NO." The refusal came out louder than she intended. There was no way she was going to relive this moment again. She saw a flicker of bemusement cross Edward's Adonis like features. Bella never denied him what he wanted, ever. This was new. "Whatever you need to say, say it here, right here." She continued through gritted teeth. This was hell. She was dead and this was her punishment, to relive the most painful moment of her human life.

Edward recovered his poise quickly. "Bella, we won't go far."

"Really?" Bella spat. She rarely spoke to Edward in this tone. The old anger at his abandonment of her was resurfacing. She couldn't stifle it. "I think you are intending to go very far away."

"What?" There was the uncertainty in his voice again. Edward, so self-assured, so cocky and a little arrogant when he was reading other people's minds, couldn't read hers. Bella felt a little satisfaction at this, but it didn't stop the hurt. "Bella, I don't…"

"You're going away. You're leaving." Bella snapped at him. She saw his eyes widen in surprise. "You're a coward, Edward." She had never spoken these words before; she had thought them, many times. Upon his return she had wanted to scream and rage at him, but she never had, always so afraid to lose him again. But this, this was different. It wasn't real. This was going on in her damaged head somehow. She could say what she wanted now. "Instead of staying and facing the consequences, you're running away." Angry tears pricked at her eyes. "But worst of all you're going to leave me alone to face the aftermath. You're gonna walk me to those woods, cut me off, and then leave me to shrivel and die."

"Bella, I…." Edward's face was full of torment. He stared at her, golden eyes unwavering, mouth agape.

"Go then." The tears were spilling down her cheeks now. She wanted this scene over with. Bella spun on her heel and ran clumsily toward her house.

 _Edward did not follow._

* * *

Bella stayed with her back pressed to the front door and knees drawn up to her chest until her limbs grew stiff. Her eyes were sore from crying so much. She was waiting to wake up, anything, but she was still here. She had to move eventually. There was no choice. With her spirit crushed, her heart aching abominably, she opened the front door and stumbled outside. Edward was nowhere to be seen. Bella panicked, the old gaping wound in her chest reopened. She couldn't breathe. She staggered down the porch steps, breathing rapidly. But the air wouldn't fill her lungs. Her chest was tight. Maybe she was dying now. Bella reached her truck, her bleary eyes searching for Victoria. But the vengeful vampire wasn't there. Bella felt so confused. She didn't know what was real and what was not. She wrenched open the door of her truck and climbed inside. The old red Chevy was suddenly the only dependable, solid thing in her world. She started the truck, heart hammering as the loud engine rumbled to life. Whenever she couldn't breathe there was only one person who could push air back into her body.

 _Bella backed out of the drive and headed straight for La Push._

* * *

Jacob Black was shocked to say the least as he opened his front door to find a sobbing Bella on his doorstep. He stared at her for a moment, drinking her in. He hadn't seen her for weeks. Her rich boyfriend took all of her attention. He pushed his long hair away from his face, peering at her curiously. "Are you okay?" He asked in concern. He reached out a hand to steer a trembling Bella inside, but wasn't prepared when she ran into his arms, tucking her head under his chin. He didn't know what to do. He stood, his arms apart, uncertain whether to wrap them around her or not.

"He's gone, Jake." Bella mumbled against his chest. She gripped his shirt with shaking fingers. "I had to go through it again. Victoria, she was attacking. You were gone. I don't understand what's going on."

"That kinda makes two of us, Bells." Jacob said, confused. He had finally regained his composure. It was not every day that your dream girl jumped into your arms. He guided her toward the old couch. "You stay right there and I'll get you some water, okay." He patted her on the shoulder awkwardly before he walked slowly toward the kitchen. He kept glancing behind him. Bella had drawn her knees up to her chest. From what he could decipher from her confusing babble, it seemed the rich dude had broken things off. Now that wasn't a bad thing. It was sad that she was upset but the Cullen guy was a tool. Bella deserved better. "Here you go." He said cheerily upon his return. He shoved a cold glass of water toward her.

Bella took it from him gratefully and chugged it down. She choked on it, coughing. Jacob quickly grabbed the glass from her before she spilled the water all over herself. "Woah there, missy." Jacob smiled, rubbing Bella's back until her coughing fit eased. "Drink it slowly."

"Sorry." Bella took the glass again and listened to his advice. When it was drained she passed it back to him and rested her head on the back of the couch, eyes closed. "I can breathe now. You always know how to make me feel better."

"I do?" Jacob scratched the back of his neck, confused again.

"My head feels like its spinning." Bella kept her eyes closed as she began to ramble again, trying to make sense of her tangled thoughts. "It must have been when my head hit the rock. None of this is real. I know that."

"You hit your head." Jacob was alarmed. He rushed to her side and sat down, feeling her forehead with gentle fingers. She did feel clammy. "Let me take you to the hospital or something. I can't believe you drove here. You could have concussion or something." He was panicking now. That would explain her odd behaviour. He couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed that the reason for her seeking him out was due to a bump on the head. He was enjoying having her talk about him like some kind of hero.

"It was Victoria." Bella continued as if he hadn't spoken. Tears began to spill out of her closed lids again. "She's killed me, Jake."

"Huh?" Jacob felt bemused. Who was Victoria? "Is that the reason you broke up with your boyfriend, because he went off with this Victoria person?" He asked.

"What?" Bella opened her eyes and sat up straighter. She gazed at him, perplexed.

"Bells." Jacob said worriedly as he pressed his fingers back to her forehead.

It was like a punch to the gut. The thought hadn't occurred to her. This was pre-phase Jacob. Her eyes travelled around his beloved face. His features were so open and innocent. He had no idea what was awaiting him in his future. She had been an idiot. If she was reliving the day Edward left that meant that she and Jacob hadn't actually reconnected yet. He must think she was insane. "I'm so sorry, Jacob." She whispered brokenly. She tried to slip off the couch but he stopped her. "I shouldn't have come here."

"Why?" Jacob questioned. "We're like….um…we're cool. I mean um…we're friends. Yeah?" He smiled encouragingly at her, before ducking his head, cheeks reddening under his tan skin the longer she gazed back at him. "I mean we can be, if you want. No pressure."

"We were always friends." Bella took his hand and he raised his head again, smiling. "We made mud pies together, right?"

"Sure, sure." Jacob's smile became wistful at the memory.

Bella swallowed thickly, eyes glistening. He was so sweet and kind. She really shouldn't have come, but she hadn't been able to help herself. When her world imploded he was always the one she ran to seeking comfort. He was looking shy now. So much the teenage boy she remembered before his wolf surfaced and forced him to mature too quickly. She clasped his right hand between hers and stared him straight in the eyes. "I never told you this often enough but you are amazing, absolutely amazing."

"Huh?" Jacob was overwhelmed. There she was again, acting oddly. He felt his skin heat up from her compliments. The brief times they had spent together when he accompanied his father on a rare visit to Charlie's house, she had never said anything like this. She was always nice to him, laughing at his lame jokes, but she remained distant. This was more like the time they had crossed paths on First beach, then she had seemed to flirt with him, and listened raptly to his dumb stories. But since she had been with Cullen, she had been more reserved. Perhaps now she had broken up with her uptight boyfriend she was becoming more like her old self. Jacob's spirits lifted at this thought. He knew Charlie would be pleased, and his dad. Both of them disliked Edward Cullen intensely. In fact his dad had paid him to attend Bella's prom. That had been mortifying, but the promise of an expensive part for his classic VW had persuaded him otherwise. It was the first time he had witnessed Bella's cloying relationship with Cullen with his own eyes, and he had finally seen his father's point of view. The dude was a controlling ass. He had glared at Jacob angrily, boring holes into him with his laser like stare. Bella, looking so pretty and bright, had wilted under Edward's fierce glare, forcing herself to brush Jacob off in case it upset her boyfriend.

Bella was unaware of Jacob's thoughts. She was getting ready to leave again. She was full of confusion. What was happening? Perhaps she was in a coma or something? She put her hand to her temple. "I better go. Thanks for the water." She mustered up a smile as she tried to rise. Her vision swam and everything went black.

* * *

"Stay still." Bella moaned softly as she opened her eyes again. She found Billy Black peering down at her in concern. Behind him stood Jacob, his dark eyes clouded with worry and confusion. When he saw that she had come around a beautiful sunny smile lit up his face. "Do you know where you are, Bella?" Billy asked, interrupting her reverie.

"La Push." Bella mumbled. Her throat was dry.

"Yes." Billy nodded, smiling. The smile eased the worry lines in his face. He looked more like his son then. He sat back in his wheelchair to give Bella room to sit up. "Son, go get Bella some water."

Jacob didn't move. He seemed in a daze. Billy huffed under his breath and rolled his chair into the kitchen to get the water himself. Jacob took his father's spot beside Bella. "You gave me a scare." He mock scolded her. He took her hand, fumbling with her fingers.

"I'm sorry." Bella sniffled. She let Jacob help her rise into a sitting position. "I don't know what happened."

"You fainted." Jacob filled in the blanks for her.

"Oh, I'm so…"

"If you say sorry again I'll…." Jacob laughed, rolling his eyes as he couldn't think of anything threatening to say. He was rewarded with an answering smile from Bella and he glowed with happiness. "It was probably that knock on the head."

"Yes." Bella was still confused. Nothing was making sense. It was hard to distinguish what was real and what was not. Billy had returned with the water. She thanked him, chugging the cold liquid down quickly.

"I've called Charlie." Billy revealed.

Bella paled. "Oh." She wasn't sure what she was supposed to say to her dad.

Billy ordered Jacob to go and fetch a blanket for Bella. Jacob reluctantly obliged. When they were alone Billy gazed at Bella, brow furrowed. "Jake told me about your break up. Is this true?"

He knew. Billy knew it all. Bella wasn't used to discussing the Cullen's with anyone. Especially with someone who knew what they were. The atmosphere became tense. "Edward's gone." It was painful uttering his name. Bella inhaled sharply. "They're all gone."

Billy couldn't contain his surprise, nor did he bother hiding his relief at this unexpected news. "I see. It's for the best."

"At least Sam Uley didn't need to waste his time looking for me." Bella was dazed. She didn't hear Billy's gasp. She felt so drained. She wondered when she was going to wake up to the reality of Victoria slitting her throat. Tears pricked at her eyes again.

"Why would you mention Sam?" Billy demanded.

Bella rubbed her aching temples. "He was the one to find me." She rambled on again, forgetting that it hadn't actually happened in this dream.

"Find you?" Billy prompted her.

"With his wolf senses he could track me easily. I owe…."

Billy's face was leached of all colour. He glanced behind him to make sure his son was still out of the room. Then he leaned forward, whispering. "Did the Cullen's tell you about Sam?" He questioned sharply.

Bella rubbed her face and gazed at Billy tiredly. "No, Jacob did." She was lost in past memories again, reliving Jacob's agony as he tried to communicate to her what he had become, fearful of rejection because he saw himself as a monster. "You can't keep this from him. It isn't fair." Her mind suddenly came into focus. Billy's dark eyes were full of fear. "He was so hurt that you kept him in the dark. They all suffered needlessly because of it." She gulped, trying to hold back the ever present tears. "So much suffering could have been avoided." She paused, gasping for breath again as she suddenly grabbed hold of Billy's shirt, fingers shaking with trepidation. "Harry….he died. Leah changed… he had a heart attack because of it. You need to st…"

"Harry died…." Jacob was back, the blanket he had gone to fetch hung loosely in his grip. He stared at his father and Bella, eyes round with horror.

"No." Billy took a second to recover. He swallowed, turning away from Bella and trying to compose his features. "Bella is still confused. Aren't you?" He glanced at her, pleading.

"Yes." Bella eventually agreed. She sank back and put her head in her hands.

"We can't wait for Charlie. We need to drive Bella over to the Clearwater's. Sue can check her over." Billy continued hurriedly.

"Shouldn't we take her to the hospital instead?" Jacob asked, confused.

"Sue will do. Get the keys to the truck. You can drive." Billy cut off anymore attempts at conversation.

Jacob frowned, obviously not happy. Billy watched his son slope off toward the kitchen to grab the keys. "Now Bella, you have to promise me to keep quiet. Jake cannot hear any of this, okay."

"More secrets." Bella whispered sadly.

"I don't pretend to know how you know so much, or why you are saying those things about Harry, but until we can talk some more then you have to stay quiet." Billy said desperately.

"It was staying quiet that killed me." Bella replied hopelessly. She gazed at Billy in anguish. "Help me."

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	2. Chapter 2

**Back to the Beginning**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Part One**

It was surreal seeing Harry alive again. Bella couldn't take her eyes off of the Clearwater patriarch as he sat huddled in a corner, having an in depth conversation with Billy. The normally jovial man looked serious for once as he kept darting curious glances toward Bella. She was sitting on his couch, pressed against Jacob's side. She couldn't help herself. Jacob was her anchor. It was only his solid and comforting presence that was keeping her sane. She still thought she was tripping or something. Any second she expected to wake up, anything. Bella saw Billy look her way. His brow furrowed as he noticed how close she was sitting to his son. She had never done anything like that before, at least, not until later, when her relationship with Jacob had turned into something much more serious than just friends. In this version of reality she and Jacob were still in the early stages of their renewed acquaintance.

Sue had already checked her over and confirmed that she was definitely not suffering from concussion. There were no marks at all to show she had even hit her head. This diagnosis led them to believe she'd had some kind of breakdown. When Sue learned that Bella had just broken up with her boyfriend she accepted this as fact. She confided to her husband and Billy that Bella was simply suffering the normal symptoms of a broken heart. Both men knew there was more to it than that. So far Billy had told his friend about some of Bella's strange ramblings and her admittance that she knew about Sam Uley, but he had kept to himself the other bit of information she had let slip, that something was going to happen to his friend, and that it impacted on his daughter. He didn't want Harry to worry. Billy wanted to find out more before he said anything. Even after Bella's pleas for help he still thought that it was the Cullen's that had told her about Sam. If so, then they had violated the treaty, which at this stage was moot, as Bella seemed convinced that the cold ones were leaving.

Jacob was suffering a different kind of problem. He didn't know what to do with his hands. He was as surprised as anyone when Bella had immediately curled up next to him on the couch. One side of her body was pressed tightly to his. This was having all kinds of effects on him. Her nearness, the smell of the strawberry shampoo she used to wash her hair, the feel of her cheek pressed to his shoulder as she hid her face in the crook of her neck. It was almost too much sensation. She was the girl of his dreams. He had never in his wildest imaginings ever expected to have her act like this around him. Bella's soft hair tickled the skin of his neck as she breathed shallowly. He turned his head to the side, finally settling on just reaching out and taking her hand. As his fingers enclosed around hers, his worries vanished. It felt so right, her hand in his. They fit. "Are you okay?" He asked in concern.

Bella sniffled, raising her head to look at him. He gazed back at her, worry clouding his dark eyes. She tried to smile, but it came out more like a grimace. "Not really." She admitted.

Jacob squeezed her hand. Bella glanced down at their joined hands. She hadn't even realised he was holding hers. The gesture was so familiar, that to her, it was the norm. But to him it was all so new. She swallowed thickly, her brown eyes flicking to his. He smiled his beautiful smile at her and she came undone. Tears welled in her eyes and she began to cry. "I'm sorry." Jacob became alarmed; panicking that some gesture of his had upset her.

Bella gulped in air. She couldn't answer. The last few hours had been difficult. She didn't know what to do. The hole in her chest was painful, but eased when he was near. The memories were raw. This was how it had been after she had woken up after drifting through those zombie months. Her awakening was like a delayed reaction. Everything she should have felt after Edward's abandonment had been soul destroying, to a point where she had become delusional, risking her life to hear his voice. There were no such delusions to comfort her now. Edward was gone. She had told him to go. When she had said those words she had expected to wake up, but she hadn't. She was still here, stuck in the past, but a different past. Already even her smallest actions had changed things. Her small show of defiance against Edward when she told him to go had triggered something inside.

"Son, do you mind giving Bella and I some privacy." Bella sucked in a sharp breath. She had been so lost in her own misery that she hadn't heard Billy approach. She heard Jacob murmur his protest, but Billy kept insisting until Jacob had no choice but to comply. He told Bella he would just be in the kitchen if she needed him. Bella shrivelled up when he left her side. Jacob took his warmth with him. He kept darting worried glances at her as he reluctantly disappeared into the kitchen. "How are you feeling?" Billy asked when they were finally alone.

"Lost." Bella whispered. She looked around the Clearwater's lounge, expecting to see Harry or maybe his wife, Sue. But they had gone. "Where's Harry?" She questioned, confused as to why Harry wasn't with Billy. She thought after her startling confession he would be beside himself. It didn't occur to her that Billy hadn't told his friend that part.

Billy sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. He was finding this all very overwhelming. What was he supposed to do? Bella wasn't making an ounce of sense. It was worrying that she knew about Sam. In her confused mental state there was no telling who she might tell. "I know you feel very confused right now."

Bella nodded, once again beyond speech. She gazed helplessly at Billy, hoping for him to provide some direction, or maybe even some answers.

"How much do you know about Sam Uley?" Billy asked after a moment of silence. He saw Bella tense, and then frown. "What exactly did the Cullen's say?"

"It was Jake who told me." Bella choked out.

"That's impossible." Billy stated firmly. He didn't want to distress Bella further but he had to know exactly what she had been told by the cold ones. He couldn't understand why they would risk revealing such a thing, especially to a vulnerable young girl. He was angry at them. For them to draw Bella into their world was both risky and dangerous. Billy wasn't a fool. He knew that his best friend's daughter hadn't broken her leg from a fall, or that she had run away because she was having trouble settling in Forks. No, something had happened to Bella all those months ago, he just didn't know what. "Jake doesn't know…"

"You have to tell him." Bella's mood had switched again. This statement came out louder then she intended. She saw Billy shake his head fiercely. The kitchen door had opened; Jacob was peering curiously into the room. Billy motioned for his son to close the door again. Jacob hesitated, looking directly at Bella for a moment, before doing as his dad bid him.

"Please, keep your voice down." Billy pleaded. "He cannot know. What I need to understand is how you do."

"Jake told me." Bella was getting desperate now. "I've been here before, well not here specifically, but…." She couldn't explain. It was too bizarre, unbelievable. Frustration trumped fear and she sat forward, looking a shocked Billy straight in the eyes. "I can't explain it. I just can't. Not in a way that makes any kind of sense. Am I dreaming? Are you real? Am I? Is any of this?" She motioned around the room, eyes wide with confusion and fear. "But I'm not lying. I'm not having a mental breakdown. I promise you that."

* * *

Charlie had arrived, stopping any further conversation. Bella didn't know whether her words had any impact on Billy at all, or whether he still believed she was just going crazy. As soon as Charlie had seen her a relieved smile lit up his weary face. He had been up all night at work, getting a call telling him that his daughter had hit her head had him panicking. But here she was, seemingly fine. Harry had taken him to one side before he entered the house, telling him about Bella's break up with Edward Cullen. "Be gentle with her, Charlie." Harry had advised. "She's nursing a broken hurt, so don't get upset if she says something a little out there."

"Alright, kiddo." Charlie hunkered down in front of his daughter, one hand raised as if to touch her. But then he hesitated, dropping it to his side. He wasn't a demonstrative man. But his concern was clear and Bella was touched, feeling guilty for worrying him. "You ready to come home now. Sue tells me you're fine, physically." He cleared his throat. "I heard about Cullen." He continued gruffly. "I can shoot his sorry ass if it makes you feel better."

This unexpected offer made a choked laugh bubble up in Bella's throat. She made a strangled sound. She never recalled Charlie saying anything like that before to her when Edward had left, but then she had retreated into herself so much she hadn't been aware of much at all. Charlie was staring at her in alarm, shocked at the noise she had just made. "I'm okay." Bella gasped. She knew she sounded hysterical. Billy was gazing at her oddly too. "I just…I just…I'm gonna use the bathroom. Excuse me." She needed to escape. Stumbling badly she fled the room, glad to be away from their scrutinising gazes, if only temporarily.

* * *

Bella splashed cold water on her face. It didn't ease the tiredness, but it did feel refreshing on her skin. She reached for the fluffy towel draped across the edge of the bath and used it to dab at her skin and neck. When she raised her head she accidentally caught sight of her reflection in the mirror over the sink. She looked like a ghost. Her complexion was pale, almost translucent. Dark rings underscored her eyes. Bella shrank back from the mirror, appalled. No wonder no one believed her. They must think she was crazy. "God help me." She whispered.

What was she supposed to do now? How was she supposed to go on? Bella couldn't explain any of it. She wasn't waking up. She had already tried pinching her skin, expecting not to feel anything, but it hurt, just like the pain in her heart. The knowledge that she was trapped here, reliving some of the worst months of her life, was soul destroying. If Jacob hadn't been around then she would have crumbled. As it was she was hanging on by a thread. "Oh, Jake."

Bella thought about how innocent he was, how sweet and kind. He had no idea of what was coming. She did, and she couldn't bear the thought of him being hurt, of having to watch him from the side lines while everything descended into chaos. Not just for him but all of them. She had kept telling Billy to warn Jacob. _It was too late for poor Sam_ …Bella paused, frowning. Her mind raced. As far as she could remember Sam was still dating Leah at this point in time. But his imprint with Emily couldn't be far off. Bella recalled the painful scars that Emily bore every day of her life, a constant reminder of the consequences of her imprint with her cousin's lover.

Her head swam with possibilities. She had the ability to change things. It all rested in her hands. Maybe this was some strange, trippy dream she was having. Maybe she was dying and this was god's way of testing her, letting her relive the worst mistakes of her life, giving her the opportunity to change them, even if in reality everything remained the same. Bella didn't know. Maybe she was never going to. There was so much she had said and done in the past which she wished she could have taken back. There had been so many missed opportunities, moments she should have been spending with those she cared about the most, instead of obsessing about her relationship with Edward and trying to live up to his ideal of her. Edward was gone. The painful hole in her chest wasn't killing her like it had the first time. She could breathe. Jacob was here. He could hold her together even if he didn't realise he was doing it. Bella knew she owed him so much more than she could ever repay. She owed all of them the truth.

She recalled her words to Billy. _"It was staying quiet that killed me."_ Well, maybe it was time she opened her mouth, stepped up, and changed things, starting with herself. Bella jutted her chin out determinedly as she rolled her shoulders, trying to gather her courage together. She was going to start talking; she would shout herself hoarse if she had to. Bella opened the bathroom door, then let out a surprised gasp when she saw Jacob standing outside, hand raised as if to knock. She saw his cheeks flush a faint red and he coughed awkwardly, fidgeting. "I was worried." He confessed huskily. "You were in there so long. I thought I'd check on you."

Bella didn't answer straight away. She just looked at him, drinking him in. It was odd seeing his hair so long. It fell halfway down his back. It was black and shiny, pulled back from his face with a simple rubber band. He was smiling now, trying to cover up his nerves with that sunny grin. Jacob, always brimming with confidence on the outside, wasn't so on the inside. Bella knew. When he hurt, she hurt. Hadn't she told him that once? It was true though. She could read the signs.

"Will you take a walk with me, Jacob?"

Her question surprised him. Jacob glanced down the hall toward the lounge. He could hear the muffled voices of the adults as they awaited her return. He returned his attention to her. She looked different, stunning, despite the tiredness in her eyes. He couldn't explain it. It was something indefinable in her expression. He rubbed the back of his neck, shrugging. "Sure, sure." He agreed easily.

"Thank you." Bella said earnestly as she gazed up at him. He was so tall already. She could see the definition of muscles under his loose shirt. He was filling out. It was already happening. The signs were there, subtle, but definitely there. "Shall we go out the back way? I don't really want to have to sit through a cross examination from dad right now."

"This way." Jacob took the lead. He knew the Clearwater's house well, unlike Bella, who had only been there a few times. They walked down the hall, Bella flanking Jacob. She could feel his body heat exuding from him. There was barely inches between them. His left hand brushed her right. She startled, glancing up at him. He smiled back at her, shrugging again. They continued on their way, Jacob occasionally guiding her, his fingers sliding across hers as he ushered her forward.

A cool breeze hit Bella's fevered skin as soon as she stepped outside. Jacob carefully closed the back door behind him. He was enjoying the subterfuge. He could imagine the comments his best friends, Quil and Embry, would be making right now if they could see him. He smiled despite himself. He caught Bella looking and flushed again, embarrassed. Jeez, she must think he was a tool. "Where do you want to go?" He asked distractedly.

Bella hesitated again, her courage failing slightly at the enormity of what she was about to do. She took a deep breath. This was for Jacob. This was for all of them. "I want you to take me to see Sam Uley." She said in a rush. "There's something I need to say, not just to him, but you as well."

 _ **A/N-thank you for reading! What do you think will happen next?**_


	3. Chapter 3

**Back to the Beginning**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the reviews and for following this story!**_

 **Part Two**

Jacob put up an immediate protest at Bella's suggestion that he take her to see Sam Uley. He shook his head adamantly, frowning. "Why would you want to see him? I'm sorry Bells but the guy is a complete tool. I'm sure he's running a cult. He acts like some kind of hall monitor on…."

"Steroids." Bella interjected.

"Well yeah." Jacob paused, the wind taken out of his sails at her interruption. It was like she had read his mind. It was freaky. He took a defensive stance, his sunniness disappearing to be replaced with resentment against Sam. It was true. Uley had changed. He prowled the res, along with his cohorts, Paul Lahote and Jared Cameron, interfering in things that were none of his business. He had lectured Quil only the other day about a prank he had played in class. Who was he to lecture anybody? He hung out with Paul Lahote who was a known troublemaker. Jacob couldn't understand why the hell Bella would want to see him, or even what she would have to say to Sam. As far as he knew they had never crossed paths before.

Bella sighed. She ran her fingers through her hair, twisting it into a knot at the back of her head to stop the silky strands blowing wildly in the wind. She felt weary. This was going to be difficult. Already her resolve was weakening. There was no telling how Sam would react. He had never been her biggest fan in the past. In this reality or whatever the hell it was he would know that she had dated a vampire, his sworn enemy. Just because it was one of the Cullen's it wouldn't make any difference. He wouldn't trust her on this basis alone.

Jacob was watching the conflicting emotions cross her pretty face. Her teeth were gnawing on her lower lip, her fingers tapping at her sides. She was obviously trying to work something out. "You don't need to speak to Sam. You can just tell me." He encouraged her with a small smile. "You can trust me."

Bella's eyes flicked back to him. She titled her chin, expression suddenly sad. "I trust you more than anyone. I always have." She replied earnestly.

"Oh." Her words took his breath away. It was clear she meant them. She wasn't lying. He was staggered by her compliment, but confused as well. They hadn't spent that much time together, only on rare occasions when his dad agreed to let him come to Forks when he was visiting Charlie. Bella had always been pleased to see him, and was always polite, but still remained distant. For her to make such a declaration was puzzling. "Well I trust you too." He said eventually.

"That's good." Bella touched the fingers of his left hand briefly, but didn't take his hand. Instead she turned slightly and gazed into the distance. "I need you to trust me now, Jake. I have to speak to Sam Uley first because without him I know I won't be able to convince you that I'm not crazy."

"I don't think you're crazy." Jacob blurted out. "I overheard Sue. She thinks you're just upset because of your breakup." His voice softened. "That guy never deserved you anyway, Bella. You're better off, believe me."

Bella felt the hole in her chest ache. She didn't want to talk or even think about Edward. Her emotions were still raw. She rubbed a hand over her forehead and swallowed thickly. "This has nothing to do with my breakup. I can promise you that. Will you take me or not?"

"I won't let you go alone." Jacob gave up in defeat. It was clear she wasn't going to change her mind. "But I don't have to like it."

* * *

They took the Rabbit. Jacob showed off his car to Bella, acting like a proud parent. It was clear a lot of love had been invested in the old classic VW. "She's not done yet. But she'll take us to where we need to go." He patted the hood fondly before acting the gentleman and opening the passenger door for Bella.

"Thank you." Bella smiled gratefully. This felt familiar. This was safe. She gazed around the Taj, tears welling in her eyes, as she relived in her head all the hours she had spent in the garage, first working on the bikes, and then later this very car. "She's a beauty." She gave the red paintwork an admiring glance, earning herself a big smile from Jacob.

"She's the best, isn't she?" Jacob climbed in the driver's seat. He switched on the engine, revving it a little, laughing. "I rescued her from a neighbour. They were gonna scrap her, can you believe it. I said no, I'll take her. I paid the guy five dollars and pushed her all the way home. Dad pitched a fit. He said I'd never get her working. But I did."

Bella was having trouble containing the tears. She swiped at her eyes. It had been so long since she had heard Jacob rave about his love for cars and all things mechanical. His pack duties and life in general had kept him away from doing what he loved, messing about with engines. He was good at it too, very skilled. He was self-taught. He was so clever. He really was so special. Bella remembered she had promised to remind him of that once, many moons ago, when he was suffering under the weight of what he had become. He had really believed he was a monster. She had let him down then too. She had made that promise the same day she was forced to leave for Italy to save Edward from himself. Guilt and shame weighed heavy on Bella's shoulders at the memory. "You are so special, Jake. You really are."

"Bells?" Jacob stared at her in concern. She sounded and looked very upset. "Are you okay? We can put this off and go back to the Clearwater's…"

"I'm fine." Bella choked out. "Can we just go?" She was angry at herself for getting so emotional. She had to be in control if she was going to face Sam. She watched Jacob frown again, however he didn't protest further. Instead he began to reverse out of the garage, his handsome face full of concentration.

* * *

Sam wasn't at home when they first arrived. This was a place Bella didn't recognise. When she knew him Sam was living in a pretty little cabin deep in the forest with Emily. At this point in time he was still residing with his mother, Allison. Bella gazed at the ramshackle house. Tiles were falling off the roof. It looked unkempt and uncared for. She glanced at Jacob. He didn't seem surprised. "Sam's mom works hard, but…." He shrugged, not really knowing what to say.

They waited in the car. Bella stayed slumped in her seat, her nerves building with every moment that passed. Jacob switched on the radio just to fill the tense silence. A rock tune was playing. He began to mumble the words to the song under his breath, tapping the dash board with his fingers as if it was an invisible drum. Bella found this action so endearing. She swiped at her eyes again. When they had worked on the bikes in the Taj, Jacob used to beg her to let him put the radio on, she had always refused. She couldn't bear to listen to any kind of music, especially love songs, after Edward had left. Jeez, she was such a selfish cow. She had deprived him of something he wanted to do, just so she could continue to wallow. "Turn it up." She said suddenly.

Jacob looked at her in surprise. "Really? He asked.

"Yes." Bella watched him flick the dial. The rock song blasted her ear drums. Jacob began to sing loudly, drumming on the dash board harder, before playing an imaginary guitar. Bella couldn't help but smile. She found herself beginning to lip synch the words too.

That's how Sam came across them upon his return, belting out rock tunes and singing at the tops of their voices in his front yard.

* * *

Sam looked different. His expression was weary, but more open. It wasn't as closed off as Bella remembered. But this was Sam before he imprinted with Emily, before he broke Leah's heart and inadvertently hurt Emily. He wasn't carrying that guilt on his shoulders yet, or the weight of leading a whole pack of teenagers. "What do you want?" He had asked mulishly. He had been forced to rap the top of Jacob's car to get their attention. He wasn't in a good mood.

Jacob looked uncertainly at Bella. This was her idea after all. She looked back at him, her good mood vanishing. Reality was crashing in on her now. Sam was in front of her, shoulders hunched, defensive attitude clouding his anger at having his privacy invaded. Maybe this was a mistake. "Can I speak with you please?" She asked in a small voice.

Sam was taken aback at this request. His attention had been solely on Jacob, expecting that it was him who wanted to talk. He cocked his head, studying Bella warily. "You're Charlie's kid." He said eventually.

"Yes." Bella confirmed. She leaned against the Rabbit for support. She felt Jacob's body heat as he moved next to her protectively. She saw that Sam noticed. A wry smile crossed his face before he became stern again. "It's really important."

"Really?" Sam's eyes flashed. He wasn't amused now. He was recalling her allegiances. She was under the influence of the Cullen's. He looked at Jacob, brow furrowing. Why were they together?

"There's no need to take that tone." Jacob interjected. He didn't like the way Uley was looking at Bella. He still didn't understand why she would even want to come here. He edged closer to Bella, blocking her from Sam's view. "She just wants to talk."

"Well I don't." Sam snapped. "Just get out of here."

"I know about the wolf." Bella suddenly said; her voice full of desperation. This would get his attention if nothing else. She saw him stiffen, his muscles quivering under his t-shirt. She heard Jacob mutter _wolf_ under his breath in confusion. He must be staring at her like she was insane. But she couldn't look at him right now. Her sole focus had to be Sam. "I know about you. I know about the pack." She continued, babbling now.

"You know nothing." Sam muttered, confusion was clear in his eyes. His gaze flicked to Jacob and then back to Bella.

"I know everything." Bella said sadly. "Too much. You have to listen to me."

"The Cullen's are a bunch of liars." Sam practically growled. To him it was obvious that it had to be the cold ones who had let slip about his transformation. He was beyond angry, but he had to be careful. Jacob was here. He didn't know what the hell Bella was talking about. He was staring at her, totally bewildered.

"They didn't tell me." Bella tried not to quail under Sam's fierce glare. She hoped for her sake he had absolute control. She was familiar with the wolves' ability to transform when under undue pressure or angered.

"Then who did?" Sam demanded.

Bella trembled as she returned her attention to Jacob. He looked at her, shaking his head slightly as if to quieten her. He must think she was insane. She mouthed a silent apology before looking at Sam again. "Jake told me…"

"I never." Jacob protested. He was outraged. His voice was full of hurt that she could lie about such a thing. He had been wrong she was crazy. He shouldn't have trusted her. He didn't know what game she was playing but it wasn't funny.

"Not now, not here." Bella gazed at him, eyes begging, pleading for understanding. "You told me once that the worst thing about phasing was not knowing that it was going to happen. You were so hurt; all of you were that it was kept a secret from you." In her desperation she reached out and grabbed Jacob's hand. He snatched it away from her. Bella couldn't hold the tears back any longer. Sam stood near them, a silent witness to their torment. "Your dad, Harry, all the elders, they thought they were doing the best thing, keeping you in the dark. Billy wanted you to enjoy what little carefree time you had left. I know it tortured him knowing what was going to happen, but not being able to tell you. It drove a wedge between you for a long time. I know this sounds crazy. But it's all true. It is. I promise you. I don't want to see you suffer like you did before, Jake. Your pain is my pain, remember."

"You're sick. I should never have trusted you. Are you getting a kick out of this or something? Is this some kind of twisted game you've made up with him?" Jacob yelled at her. He flung his arm toward Sam Uley. He was truly upset now. "I've seen you watching me." He suddenly turned his anger toward Sam. "I've seen you following me around with that dumbass Paul and Jared…"

"Easy." Sam appeared worried now. He got between Jacob and Bella, shoving Jacob back to create more distance. "Calm down."

"I won't." Perspiration broke out on his forehead. He was burning up. This was crazy talk. He didn't know what she talking about, phasing and wolves. Now fucking Sam was in his face. He couldn't believe that Bella was treating him this way. Why? He stared past Sam, his jaw flexing. She was openly crying, her face showing her fear. Was she scared of him? He didn't want her to be scared of him. He would never hurt her. Why was he so angry? This wasn't who he was. His head was a tangled mess of thoughts. Jacob breathed deeply, trying to regain control. Sam was still in front of him, watching him warily. "What's happening?" He questioned, suddenly sounding younger than his years.

Sam glanced behind him at Bella before returning his attention to Jacob. He came to a decision. "She's not lying." He confessed suddenly. "Everything she has said is true. And you're right I have been watching you. I've had to. You're close. It's hard to predict when it's going to happen the first time. It was different for each of us."

" _Each of us_." Jacob echoed faintly. He looked toward Bella. She was breathing heavily, her arms wrapped around her waist now as if trying to hold herself together. He hated seeing her like that. He went to go toward her, but Sam put his hand on his chest to stop him.

"You have to be careful." Sam warned him. He sighed heavily, closing his eyes for a second before opening them. "You want to know why I've been monitoring you." He retreated to the other side of the yard, putting space between him, Jacob and Bella. "This is why."

Sam closed his eyes again, took a deep breath, and then phased.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	4. Chapter 4

**Back to the Beginning**

 _ **Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.**_

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews. This story has definitely divided opinion, thanks for sticking with it.**_

 _ **Nikki**_

 **Part Three**

Jacob didn't know what to think or feel. This was all too surreal. The stories his father had told him all his life were true. They weren't fiction, made up by his ancestors long ago, they were fact. He couldn't deny what his eyes were telling him. Seeing Sam transform from man to wolf was mind boggling. Even with all the tumult going on in his head he was mindful of Bella's reaction to the whole thing. She didn't seem surprised or scared to suddenly see a giant black wolf pacing in the Uley's front yard. In that respect she was quite calm. That confirmed to Jacob that this wasn't her first time witnessing a phasing, which also meant that she had been speaking the truth all along. His eyes travelled to Sam's wolf. The black monster stared back at him, dark eyes seemingly curious, as if waiting for Jacob to freak out, but after a long moment, the wolf broke the intense gaze, appearing satisfied that Jacob was strong enough to deal with what he had just seen. Eventually the wolf loped off toward the surrounding trees and disappeared out of sight.

"Where is he going?" Jacob hadn't meant to speak aloud. His voice sounded strange to his ears, hoarse.

"He left for my benefit." Bella said quietly. She was still hugging her midriff as if trying to hold herself together. "He's phasing back. He will be naked and needs to get dressed."

Jacob's hands were in his hair. He stared at Bella, aghast. "This is just…." He couldn't find the right words. Now Sam and his wolf were out of sight he was feeling the impact. His consciousness tried to deny what he had just seen. Maybe it was he who'd had a knock on the head. He pinched himself. "Ouch." It hurt. He was definitely awake. He glanced at Bella again, swallowing thickly. "How did you know?" He choked out.

"You told me." Bella repeated her earlier refrain.

"Bullshit." Jacob snapped at her. He immediately regretted it when he saw her shy away from him. He didn't want to scare her. He hated himself for it. "I'm sorry."

Bella tried to pull herself together. Even though she had known what to expect when Sam phased, she didn't really think he would do it. She was unprepared, not sure how to handle Jacob. Had she gotten it wrong? Was Billy's way right after all? "I'm sorry." She whispered. "I really am. I thought…"

"How did you know what Sam was?" Jacob interrupted her. "Please don't feed me that crap that I told you. I didn't know, Bella. I didn't fucking know." He tugged at his long hair, pulling the silky strands out of the rubber band holding it in place.

"I can't explain it very well. But you have to believe me when I say I have lived all this before. I've seen it. I've seen what impact it had on you, not knowing beforehand. Now I'm here, I wanted to make things better, for everyone, for you." Bella implored. She let go of her waist, reaching out toward Jacob instead. He retreated from her. Bella felt her mouth wobbling. Tears fought for dominance but she tried to blink them back. "I don't expect you to believe me. I know it sounds crazy… "

"Like hell it does." Jacob agreed bitterly. He shook his head, inhaling sharply. He could feel his anger building up in his gut. "I want to believe you." He ground out.

"I wish you would." Bella reached a trembling hand toward him, determined to bridge the gap. She waited, knowing that if Jacob rejected her now, while she was in this vulnerable state, that she would break completely.

 _A beat, two…._

Jacob took her hand.

* * *

Sam had told Jacob everything. He explained in detail the night of his own transformation. How Harry Clearwater had found him, skin slick with sweat, naked as a newborn in the tool shed at the back of the house. He had been forced to flee there when he'd unexpectedly phased after a row with Leah. He had been full of pent up anger that night, he couldn't understand why. Leah wouldn't put up with his pissy mood and told him to do one. This small tiff had been the catalyst which set him off. He was lucky he had managed to escape the Clearwater's house before it all kicked off.

"They must have known." Jacob was incredulous that Harry, his own father, that all the elders had left such an important thing to chance.

Sam paused in his explanation. He glanced at Bella. Thus far she had remained silent during his exchange with Jacob. She raised her head when she caught him looking. Her eyes shone with moisture, listening to Sam describe the horror of what happened to him the first time was upsetting. It had never entered her head before how scared and frightened he must have been. He was the first. At least Jacob and the others had Sam to guide them when they changed. Guilt swamped her; it was just another reminder of how selfish and self-absorbed she was as a person. No one's pain mattered as much as her own. It was as if she was the only one in the world who suffered. How shallow did that make her?

Bella gazed back at Sam. She wondered why he hesitated. Was he seeking her help or permission to say more? It took her a few seconds to realise he was floundering. This was new territory for him. Bella sat up straighter in her chair, no longer willing to take a back seat. Jacob was getting impatient for an answer. He pressed Sam, demanding to know why the elders hadn't intervened when they must have known what was building.

"Sam wasn't meant to be first." Bella hated the quaver in her voice. She cleared her throat. Her eyes met Sam's again before she continued, returning her attention to Jacob. "You were meant to phase first, Jacob. Not Sam."

"What?" Jacob shook his head in denial, afraid to hear what was coming. "Why?"

"It's your destiny to lead the pack, Jacob." Sam explained. There was a hint of empathy in his tone. "You're the true Alpha. When your time does come, you will be leading us all."

* * *

 _Vampires, werewolves_ ….no it was insane, all of it. This was some cruel trick fate was playing on him. Jacob ran out of the Uley's house. He couldn't breathe inside the ramshackle kitchen. The fresh air hit his lungs as he breathed it in. It was cool on his fevered brow. His head swam as he tried to absorb this torrent of information. He was in turns angry and frightened, angry at his father and the others for keeping him in the dark, sad that his trust in his only remaining parent had been shattered. He had accused Sam Uley of all sorts of things and now he felt guilty. He wasn't running a cult he was risking his life to save the tribe from supernatural monsters _. Then Bella_ …Jacob heard her light footsteps come out of the house. She stopped on the front porch, chest heaving as she tried to rein in her hysteria. Jacob clinched his eyes shut. He didn't want to be angry at her but he couldn't help it. She had run with vampires.

"Why?" He suddenly whirled around, taking Bella by surprise.

"I had to tell you…." Bella said shakily. She stumbled down the porch steps, hesitating at the bottom as she waited for him to continue.

"Not that." Jacob snapped. "Why would you put yourself in danger like that? How could you hang around with those things? They're….it's sick." His jaw clenched. "I was the one who told you what they were."

"Yes." Bella admitted. This was conversation they'd had before. She wanted to run to him, to beg for his understanding, but his pain was obvious. It was too raw and emotional for her to risk coming closer.

"You used me to get information and like a lovesick sap I fell for it." Jacob glared at her, eyes darkening. He didn't know what was worse; the fact that his dream girl thought so little of him, or that she'd allowed one of those things to get close to her, to touch her. He turned away again, unable to deal with the distraught look on her pretty face. She looked close to collapse.

"I never used you. You mean the world to me. You know that." Bella pleaded.

"I don't know anything." Jacob's anger was bleeding away now to be replaced with tiredness. He felt empty, abused. "I don't know you at all."

His words were like knives. Bella felt her soul shrivel. She all but fell onto her butt, the sharp edges of the wooden porch steps dug into her skin as she put her head in her hands and cried. It was all too much. She had spent too many hours in a hyped up emotional state. If this was Victoria's idea of revenge, to torment her like this, then she was succeeding. "Let me wake up, please. Kill me, end it. I'm tired."

Warm fingers touched her hair. Bella felt Jacob cradle the back of her head. "Don't say that." He said huskily. He sat beside her. "I didn't mean to lash out. I'm sorry." Bella's head fell onto his shoulder and she breathed him in, relaxing further when she felt his arm slip around her shoulders.

Sam watched them from the doorway, his expression thoughtful. He knew he needed to summon Jared and Paul. He had broken his vow to the elders. He wasn't supposed to reveal his wolf to anyone, especially not to an outsider. But he couldn't find it within himself to be upset; it had irked him from the outset that he had been shouldered with the responsibility to nurture the others, to keep an eye on them, while the elders absolved themselves of any responsibility. This was pack business. He had been put in charge until Jacob transformed and took up his birth right, the decision should be his alone, not made by a bunch of old men who had no idea what it felt like to walk in his skin.

"We need to go." His voice startled Jacob and Bella. They looked up at him. Sam hunkered down so he was on their level. "I don't pretend to understand how or why you know." He said directly to Bella. "That's a story for another day."

"You're going to speak to my dad." Jacob guessed. His fingers were still tangled up in Bella's hair. He pressed her head against his shoulder as if shielding her from further pain.

"No Jacob." Sam shook his head. "You're going to speak to Billy. As for me…" He sighed. "I just want to see my girlfriend. Lee has been freaking out about me enough lately."

"You should tell her." Bella's voice was muffled. She disentangled herself from Jacob's embrace and gazed at Sam. "Tell her the truth."

Sam's expression closed down. He stood up, stretching his limbs to get the cramp out of his aching muscles. "She wouldn't believe me."

" _You believed me_." Bella retorted sharply. She was finding her resolve again now that things had calmed down. She saw Sam's brow furrow and opened her mouth to scold him again, but Jacob's hand on her shoulder quietened her.

"One thing at a time, Bells." He cautioned her.

"Okay." Bella felt exhaustion creep up on her. Her eyes began to droop. She had been through so much in such a short space of time. She could wake up at any moment to find Victoria's reddened eyes boring into hers. She wondered just how much time she had left before her real reality impacted on her dream state.

"I'll drive back." Jacob was all but holding Bella upright. He looked at Sam, frowning. "I'm sorry for thinking the worst of you." He apologised. "I never saw myself as a judgemental ass until now. I just didn't take the time to see."

"Apology accepted." It was obvious this unexpected apology had thrown Sam. He jerked his head at Jacob. "You take your car. I've got to meet with the others. I'll see you later."

Jacob just nodded. He guided Bella toward the waiting Rabbit, glancing back to take another look at Sam. But when he turned his head Uley was already gone.

* * *

Billy knew as soon as Jacob and Bella came back to the Clearwater's. His eyes met his son's and his breath stopped as he saw the anger blazing in Jacob's. Already Billy could see the difference. Jacob somehow appeared taller, more mature. The boyish innocence was gone, in his stead stood a teenager on the cusp of being a man. Billy gulped, his gaze travelled to Bella. She hung her head; she couldn't look him directly in the eyes. That was further proof. Harry had noticed too. How could he not? His mouth was round with horror as he hovered on the edges, uncertain what to do.

"Bells." It was Charlie who broke the sudden tension. He hadn't noticed anything; his sole focus was on his only child. "Thanks for looking after her, Jake." He said gratefully.

Jacob's expression softened for a moment. "Sure, sure." He replied, sounding like his old self for a moment.

"Where have you been?" Charlie scolded Bella lightly. He sighed, not bothering to hide his relief that she was safe and sound.

"We went for a walk." Bella mumbled.

"Yeah, to Sam Uley's house and back." Jacob stated pointedly. He saw his father's face redden. He had to look away. He didn't enjoy goading Billy like this, but he was so mad at him.

"Anyone want a drink?" Harry interjected suddenly as he tried to diffuse the situation from deteriorating further. "Any food? Gosh, I'm hungry."

The mention of his appetite snapped Bella out of her stupor. She felt sick to her stomach. It was Harry's bad diet which had been partially to blame for his heart condition. She studied the older man. His rotund belly hung over the top of his jeans. His belt struggled to contain his paunch. She noticed the forced joviality on his kindly face. He was a good man, but was selfish in his inability to listen to good advice. Bella recalled the many times her father had mentioned Sue begging her husband to go on a diet and get himself checked out. She wanted to shout at him suddenly, to demand that he stop and think of his family. But she couldn't blurt out the truth, not right now, with so many witnesses. She finally glanced at Billy. It was clear he hadn't told Harry what she had said. She floundered, wondering what to do.

"No one's hungry, Harry." Sue stated irritably she came into the room.

Bella breathed easier again. If she had been forced to watch Harry eat she might have ended up snatching the unhealthy food straight from his hands. There was so much that needed expressing. She had been reliant on others for so long it was hard to stand alone, to face the consequences of her actions. She was still deeply worried about Jacob and Billy. She swallowed down her fear as she looked between father and son. She wished she could be a buffer between them when they did eventually get time to speak properly to each other. But already Charlie was saying his goodbyes to the others. He was expecting her to leave with him.

What was she supposed to do now?

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	5. Chapter 5

**Back to the Beginning**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews and for sticking with this story.**_

 **Part Four**

Bella looked desperately toward Jacob, but his whole focus was on Billy. Charlie was at the door, waiting. Bella hesitated, unsure what to do. "Come on, kiddo." Charlie prompted her.

"Dad, I…" Bella swallowed thickly. Sue was gazing at her curiously while Harry appeared uncomfortable. It was obvious that he wanted her to go, and Billy too. In their minds she had caused enough damage. Charlie called her name again. Bella took a step toward her father, and then paused again. Jacob was finally looking her way. "I could stay if you want." She said to him directly.

Jacob seemed surprised at this offer. His head was still a mess. So much had happened in such a short space of time. He was itching to confront his father but couldn't do it with Sue Clearwater and Charlie nearby. They were as ignorant of the truth as he had been. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and shook his head at Bella. "You should go." He muttered.

It was like a punch to the gut. Bella inhaled sharply. Tears pricked at her eyes. He was rejecting her offer of help. It was a first and felt painful. She jerked her head in acknowledgement and finally joined her father at the door. "Okay…goodbye then."

"See ya." Jacob stared at the floor, avoiding her tearful gaze. It was ripping him up inside, but he couldn't help the irrational blame he held toward her for turning his world upside down. It wasn't her fault. He knew that really, but he needed her gone. He needed time to get his act together.

Bella shot him one last painful glance then she left with Charlie, too upset to protest further.

* * *

The atmosphere was tense between them as Jacob drove his father home. Billy kept looking at his son's stern profile. He wasn't used to seeing this expression on Jacob's face. It was usually so open and sunny. He wished he knew how to start the conversation but words failed him. Billy couldn't believe that Bella had gone behind his back. She hadn't given him the chance to think things through properly. It was all such a mess. The journey was over all too soon. Billy was forced to sit and wait while Jacob got his wheelchair ready. As always Jacob skilfully eased his father out of the car and into his chair, always making sure to cause Billy as little pain as possible.

"Jake, son…I need…."

"Don't." Jacob ground out as he pushed his father's chair toward the specially built ramp leading into the house. He wasn't ready to hear Billy's excuses.

"I have to." Billy persisted. They were inside now. Jacob flipped on all the lights, blinding Billy for a moment. He sighed, rubbing a hand over his face wearily as he watched Jacob march toward the kitchen. He propelled his chair after his son. "What exactly did Bella tell you?"

"Oh, _she_ didn't tell me." Jacob spat sarcastically. He banged the cupboard doors as he hunted for something to eat. He was suddenly hungry.

"Then what?" Billy was confused now. Had he gotten it wrong? Had he misread the situation? Jacob was definitely angry about something. "Please, talk to me." He begged.

Jacob pulled out a loaf of bread and shoved two slices into the toaster. He leaned on the counter, his fingers clenching the wood. "Sam showed me." He confessed bitterly. "How could you keep something like that from me?" Jacob whirled around suddenly, facing his father. Billy was looking at him, aghast. "Yes, I knew that would shock you." Jacob continued. The toaster pinged and there was a smell of burning. He tore his eyes away from Billy and concentrated on buttering the toast.

"Sam." Billy gasped. That was something totally unexpected. Sam had revealed himself. That was forbidden. That had been made clear. Why would he suddenly break the rules after biding by them so diligently since he had transformed? Bella had to be the catalyst. But how had she managed it. Why would Sam have even trusted her enough to listen to her wild ramblings? A lot of what she had said had made no sense to Billy. "Son, I…"

Jacob took a huge bite out of his toast and chewed. His jaw was aching it was clenched to tight. He leaned against the counter, staring above his father's head. Sam had warned him about the irrational anger. He had to be careful and contain it, or anything could happen. It was another reason why he had wanted Bella to go home with Charlie. She was better off out of the way. Jacob concentrated on chewing. He had to distract himself.

"I never wanted this for you, son." Billy added. He felt so weary. "I just wanted to protect you."

" _Protecting me by lying to me_." Jacob was incredulous. He nearly choked as he swallowed the toast. He hurriedly poured himself some water and gulped the cool liquid down quickly.

"I wasn't lying." Billy said desperately. He put his head in his hands. How was it even possible to explain without hurting his son further? Of course Jacob would feel betrayed.

"No, you just omitted to tell me the truth. Well it's damn lucky that Bella did, huh?" Jacob twisted around again. It was painful seeing his dad suffer like this. They had always been so close. He hung his head. "You've let me down, dad." He ended quietly. "I don't know if I can forgive you for that."

"Jacob, please…" Billy cried. He reached out a trembling hand toward his son, but Jacob avoided it.

"I need some air." Jacob fled the house. The anger was burning inside him.

Billy watched him go, his face full of despair. "I'm so sorry." He said to the empty air. His shoulders began to shake as his emotions overwhelmed him.

* * *

Bella sat in her chair staring lifelessly at the take out Charlie had bought. She wasn't hungry in the slightest. She felt sick. She kept replaying in her mind the last few hours. She had screwed up. Jacob may have told her before that the worst thing about phasing was being kept in the dark, but maybe that was just hindsight. In reality it wasn't. He was deeply hurt, something she had been trying to avoid by trying to reveal the truth to him. His pain was her pain. Once again she had been reckless instead of thinking things through. She should have tried harder to reason with Billy instead of going behind his back. All she had done was drive a wedge between father and son.

"You need to eat, kiddo." Charlie's concerned voice startled Bella out of her reverie. She raised her head, her eyes brimming with tears. Heightened emotions were something that her father found difficult to deal with, but to her surprise he stayed where he was and reached out for her hand. "I know what it's like to deal with a broken heart, Bells." He said in a low voice. "But from my experience it will get better. It's not just a cliché when they say that time heals."

He was talking about Edward. Bella felt her heart race. She had completely forgotten him. This shocked her. Her thoughts had been solely on Jacob and nothing else. She tried to process this. Edward was always on her mind, he was her everything. Her world had revolved around him and his needs. But in the space of a few hours she had pushed him to the back of her mind, he had ceased to exist. The tortuous aftermath of his leaving was different here, wherever _here_ was. Instead Bella was suffering torment of a different kind. She rubbed her aching forehead.

Charlie squeezed her hand, bringing her attention back to him. "I'm not good with words, kiddo. But I need you to know I'm here if you want to talk. There is no judgement here, okay."

Bella's mouth wobbled. She was struggling with his kindness. She didn't deserve it. She tried to think back. Had Charlie tried to reach out to her before, but because of her zombie haze she hadn't seen it, if so, how awful for him. He must have felt so rejected, so helpless. It was just like she was feeling now. "I've screwed up, dad." She whispered forlornly.

"Hey, hey." Charlie got up out of his seat and hunkered down beside her. "None of this is your fault. These things happen sometimes. He doesn't deserve you, kiddo. I always thought that."

Bella nodded as her tears brimmed over. She wasn't really crying for Edward right now. She was crying for her lost relationship with her father. Her head dropped to his shoulder and Charlie patted her back awkwardly. "I'm sorry." She sniffed again, soaking his shirt with her tears.

They were interrupted by a knock on the door. Charlie sighed. He stood up. "I better get that. Here, wipe your face." He handed her a screwed up paper towel. "I'll be back in a sec."

Bella blew her nose on the paper towel as she heard his heavy boots walk down the hall. This was so new, this involved Charlie. He cared, he really cared. Bella wished she could recall incidences of this in her real life, but once again her previous zombie haze prevented her from remembering much about that time at all. She hardly took any notice of the unexpected caller. It was only when Charlie spoke Jacob's name that she realised who it was. Her heart leapt into her throat. She heard her father telling Jacob that she wasn't up to receiving visitors. Poor Charlie still thought she was grieving for Edward. Bella nearly tripped over her own feet as she hastily tried to stop Jacob leaving. She skidded into the hall, her heart pumping madly in her chest, sporting a wild look on her face. "Wait. I'm here." She said breathlessly.

Charlie was astonished at her sudden appearance. Jacob seemed amused more than anything. He smirked before his expression turned serious. "Can we talk?" He asked.

"Yes." Bella waved for him to come in.

Jacob's eyes flicked to Charlie warily. "Um…maybe we could go for a walk."

Charlie frowned. "I don't think she's up for that Jake."

"I'm fine, really." Bella forced a smile on her face, trying to reassure her father.

"You haven't eaten anything." Charlie reminded her.

"I'll take it with me. Jake can share. He's always got a huge appetite." Bella said quickly, forgetting what reality she was in for a second.

Charlie looked confused. "He has?"

Bella was already putting on her coat. "I'll stick close to the house. I promise."

"Well alright then." Charlie caved in. He was finding it hard to contain his disappointment that she was rushing off. They had been having a nice little chat, probably their first proper one since Cullen had invaded their lives. "Don't stay out too long."

"I won't." Bella gave him a surprise kiss on the cheek. This floored Charlie. His face turned beet red. Bella had never shown her affection like this before. He watched as she fought with her coat as she began to follow Jacob out of the house. "Bye dad." She called over her shoulder before closing the door.

"Bye, Bells." Charlie replied, but she was already gone.

* * *

Jacob didn't speak straight away. His hands were shoved in the pockets of his jeans, head bent forward. Bella trotted beside him, trying to keep up with his fast pace. She became breathless. It was only when Jacob heard her fight for breath that he realised how fast he had been walking. He slowed down, glancing at her for a moment, his expression thoughtful. He had tied his hair back into a ponytail at the nape of his neck. Some silky strands had escaped the elastic band and were falling across his face. Bella had to fight the urge to reach up and smooth them back, but Jacob did that himself with an impatient flick of his fingers.

"I came over to apologise about my attitude before." Jacob finally spoke. He gazed at her from under his long lashes. He looked so ashamed of his earlier behaviour. It was such a familiar gesture that it made Bella's heart ache. How many times in the past had Jacob used his puppy dog eyes to get around her after they had fallen out, usually over Edward? Jacob was unaware of her introspection. He rubbed the back of his neck, clearing his throat nervously. "This has thrown me through a loop, you know. I don't know how I'm supposed to handle it."

"Have you spoken to Billy?" Bella asked softly. She was so elated that he was confiding in her. She had been so scared he would just continue to push her away.

"I tried." Jacob sighed. "It didn't go so well." He looked up at the sky. Clouds were beginning to build and a light rain was falling, typical Forks weather. "I hate fighting with dad. I hate hurting him."

"He'll understand." Bella assured him.

Jacob studied her curiously. "How do you know? I mean you keep saying all this weird stuff. It's kinda freaky." He smiled to take the sting out of his words.

Bella returned his smile. The tension eased out of her body. This was the Jacob she knew. He was her friend. Despite the bizarre circumstances he was willing to listen. "You're right is it freaky."

"Sooo…" Jacob began to walk again, but slower this time so Bella was able to keep up with him. "How do you know so much? Has that Cullen creep been spilling all our tribal secrets or what."

Bella frowned, tensing up again at his obvious insult to Edward. She bit back a sharp retort. How often had she defended Edward's actions to Jacob? It always drove a wedge between them. She didn't want that here, not when he was beginning to show his trust. Instead she shook her head and looked down at the ground, trying to come up with a logical explanation that made even an ounce of sense.

"Are you going to speak or what?" Jacob bumped his shoulder against hers to grab her attention again.

"Sorry. I'm just trying to come up with a good way to explain myself that doesn't make me sound like a complete lunatic." Bella smiled weakly.

"Just go with the truth. That usually works." Jacob suggested.

"But the truth is so out there." Bella replied miserably. "To be honest Jake I'm beginning to wonder if I'm not actually batshit crazy."

"Bells one day soon I'm gonna be bursting into a giant ball of fur. Crazy doesn't cut it here." Jacob snorted with laughter. His sunny smile appeared, chasing away the clouds. Bella couldn't help but return it. A giggle escaped her lips and they bumped shoulders again, the backs of their hands brushing slightly. The involuntary contact made them both jump.

"Oh my god it's been so long since I laughed at anything." Bella swiped at her eyes. Her sides ached. She inhaled deeply, fighting another smile as she glanced at Jacob. "You always were the one who could find the humour in any situation. I always called you my eternal optimist."

Jacob's laughter died and confusion flickered across his handsome face. "There you go again. We haven't spent that much time together since you came back to Forks."

"But we will, I mean we did." Bella knew she sounded mad. She felt so frustrated. "You're my best friend, Jake."

"Just friends, huh." This explanation seemed to annoy him. Bella watched as he kicked at a loose stone in the road. He sent it spiralling high in the air and out of sight.

Bella put her arms around her waist as she tried to hold herself together. She was crumbling again. The weight of all the knowledge that she held in her hands was killing her. She'd already created chaos; she had to tread more carefully. Be wiser about what she revealed, even to Jacob. She was so absorbed in her thoughts again that she was startled when she felt Jacob's warm fingers wrap around her wrist. He gently tugged on her arms to separate them.

"Don't do that." He chided her. It was something he used to say a lot when he noticed her doing it after Edward abandoned her. "Please."

"Okay." Bella shrugged her shoulders trying to relax. The kindness and empathy he was showing was making her come asunder. "I just feel so…"

"Lost." Jacob filled in for her with a half-smile. "Me too."

"Really?"

"Yes, really." Jacob's expression softened further. He reached out and caught a strand of her hair in between his fingers. He then looped it behind her left ear. Their eyes caught and held, they stood gazing at each other for what felt like an eternity, or until Bella's traitorous skin blushed a violent red. Jacob laughed, breaking the intense stare and continued walking. "So, are you ready to spill yet or what?"

"Yeah." Bella joined in his laughter nervously. She didn't remember her Jacob being so forthright at this age. That had come later after he'd phased. It seemed prior knowledge was already having an impact on him. "Um…Edward didn't tell me about the pack. None of the Cullen's did. They didn't break the treaty. I promise."

"Treaty?" Jacob looked confused. "What treaty?"

Bella's stomach dropped. Of course he didn't know that part. Sam hadn't gone into too much depth about the agreement with the Cullen's about staying off tribal lands. Some of it was mentioned in the old legends, but Jacob had never really believed any of it. It felt odd to her having to explain something that he had once done himself. She tried to recall his exact words. He had told her in layman's terms so it was easier for her to understand the complex ruling. She tried her best to explain. It was hard at first. Jacob kept interrupting. He had a thousand questions. Some of what she told him was familiar. He began reciting some of the old legends himself. But she wasn't as knowledgeable as Billy or the other elders. "You're better off speaking to your dad about all the intricate parts." She advised.

"But how do you know all this stuff?" Jacob pressed again.

"You told me." Bella said desperately.

"Bella…." Jacob snapped in frustration. "That's bullshit."

"You did. Well not you, a future you…another you." Bella felt frustrated tears well in her eyes. "I told you I was going to sound crazy."

"Are you saying you've seen the future?" Jacob was disbelieving.

"NO, I'VE LIVED IT." Bella retorted angrily.

That silenced him. Jacob stared at her, wide eyed. "So you're saying this has all happened before."

"Sort of, but not like this. Things are changing." Bella whispered brokenly.

"Because you're changing them." Jacob still sounded sceptical.

"Yes." Bella gazed at him imploringly. "You have to trust me, Jake. Please. You're all I have. I can't do this without you. I need you."

"You need me." Jacob echoed her. He was quiet for a few seconds as his gaze travelled over her pretty face, searching for something. She appeared so earnest. He couldn't find any sign that she was playing him. She had told him the truth about the wolf pack after all. "Okay then." He said eventually. "I'm in."

"Thank you." Bella's relief was palpable. His solid presence eased her anxiety. He was prepared to give her the benefit of the doubt. She couldn't help it. She threw herself into his arms, sobbing with gratitude. Jacob was taken aback. He didn't expect this. He stood awkwardly, wondering whether to put his arms around her or not, afraid that she would slap him. When she remained pressed against him he decided to take the plunge and just accept the embrace as a friendly one, although he couldn't help wishing it was more. This was definitely something he was going to revisit in his dreams later.

* * *

Billy had been waiting on tenterhooks for his son to return. He didn't expect that when he did that Bella would be with him again. When they made their unexpected appearance, Billy was surprised to see how calm his son was. Considering how upset and angry he had been when he'd left the house, the turnaround in his demeanour was remarkable. This had to be down to Bella. Billy held his tongue though, deciding to keep his thoughts to himself. Instead he welcomed Jacob back with open arms. "I'm so sorry, son." He apologised profusely. "I've handled this all wrong."

Jacob pulled up a chair and sat opposite his father. Bella decided to head to the kitchen to make them all a drink and to give father and son a semblance of privacy. Out of the corner of his eye Billy took note of Bella's movements. He noticed how at ease she was in the small kitchen. She seemed to know where everything was, even though in his memory she had only been in his house a handful of times since her return to Forks. Jacob caught his attention again. He was talking about the Cullen's and wanted to know more about the treaty that his ancestor had made with them and why they had done so. Billy felt a lump lodge in his throat. Jacob had never shown such eagerness before. He always accepted the old legends as just nothing more than an interesting story. They were real to him now. He wanted to know everything.

Billy began to reveal what he knew. In fact the more he talked, the easier it became. Jacob was a captive audience now. Billy realised that maybe he and the other elders had been wrong. Keeping the new pack in the dark had not eased their transformation but held them back. Sam's difficulties had been made so much worse by not knowing. But Jacob's experience would be different. He wouldn't be taken unawares. When his time came he would be armed with all the knowledge at his disposal. The smell of pancakes cooking drifted into the lounge. It caught Billy's attention and Jacob's too. They both looked at each other, caught up in a past memory. Pancakes were Sarah's speciality. She always cooked them every morning for Jacob, just because her only son loved them so much.

"I hope you don't mind." Bella came back into the room holding two plates in her hands. "I thought you might be hungry. I know that pancakes are Jake's fav…" She paused when she saw the emotional expressions on their faces. "I'm sorry I didn't mean…"

"How did you know?" Jacob interrupted her. He could hardly speak he was so choked up.

"I….um….just do." The plates in Bella's hands began to shake. Jacob hurriedly took them from her. "I didn't mean to…"

"It's okay." Billy interjected with a wistful smile. "Thank you very much, Bella."

"Yeah." Jacob smiled sadly. He placed the plates carefully on the table before going to fetch the maple syrup.

Bella still looked guilty. Billy motioned for her to sit. "It's fine, Bella. Please sit, join us."

"Thank you." Bella pulled out a chair and sat down, clasping her hands in her lap, still unable to relax. "I'm sorry, Billy. I didn't think. This is what Sarah used to make Jake. I just automatically cooked them when I saw you had all the ingredients. I'm such an idiot."

"How did you know?" Billy asked as he parked his chair on the opposite side of the table.

"Jake told me. It's one of his favourite memories of his mom." Bella recalled. "He used to talk about her a lot."

"Not to me. Not for a long time." Billy's expression saddened. "But then I never made it easy for him. Perhaps he thought mentioning Sarah would upset me."

"I'm sorry." Bella apologised again.

"You have nothing to be sorry for." Billy replied gently.

Jacob had found the maple syrup. He sat down next to Bella and began to pour it over his stack of pancakes. "Thanks for this, Bells." He smiled at her. "Here have some of mine." He had brought an extra plate. He transferred some of the pancakes onto hers.

"Thank you." Bella returned his smile falteringly.

Billy could feel the intensity in the air. They all could. He cleared his throat. "Here's to Sarah." He said huskily. He raised the mug of coffee that Bella had made for each of them.

"To mom." Jacob stared at his dad for a second, before raising his own mug.

"To Sarah." Bella echoed them. This was a pivotal moment she could feel it. Something was shifting. There was electricity in the air. She raised her own mug in a silent toast; before all three settled down to eat in comfortable silence.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	6. Chapter 6

**Back to the Beginning**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews. The site is still misbehaving so I have no idea when it will get fixed, sighs.**_

 **Part Five**

After spending a congenial evening with the Black's, Jacob finally dropped Bella back home. Before she got out of the car, he caught her hand to stop her. He smiled his special Jacob smile, just for her, it made her heart melt. It had been so long since she'd seen it. When had her Jacob last smiled like that, it was hard to remember. There was so much pain and angst between them. She recalled their last kiss, right before he had to leave to join his brothers for the battle. The memory was so clear suddenly, it was like she was right back there again. She could feel his warm lips on hers, his strong arms wrapped around her, pulling her close. It had been full of desperation and fear on both their parts. Then there had been that strange vision…

"Bells…." Jacob's voice brought her back into the moment. She gasped, staring at him in confusion. She felt disorientated, shaken as she tried to differentiate between the two of them. "Are you okay?" He asked in concern, his smile fading.

"Yes." Bella mustered up a smile. "I'm just tired I guess. It's been a long day."

"Yeah, it has." Jacob released her hand and reluctantly sat back in his seat. He tapped his fingers on the steering wheel for a second, before glancing back up at her. "I've got to attend a meeting with the elders. Sam's actions have ruffled a few feathers. Dad needs to do some damage control."

"I'm sorry, Jake." Bella apologised sadly. Already the burden of what was to come was impacting on his life. "I wish I could make it easier."

Jacob smiled resignedly. "At least I can be prepared, huh."

"Yes." Bella agreed sadly.

Jacob paused again, seeming reluctant to go. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow." It wasn't a question more a hopeful statement.

"Definitely." Bella assured him. His sunny smile of relief lightened her heart. Already she could feel the growing connection between them. She waved as he began to reverse out of the driveway and didn't go inside until the taillights of the Rabbit disappeared out of sight.

* * *

Charlie was sitting in the lounge, sprawled out on his recliner, with a beer in his hand. He was watching a game on the flat screen. Normally Bella would have called out a quick greeting to her father before disappearing up to her room. But this time she stopped. She studied his profile. His attention was all on the game but she could sense the weariness about him. His eyes were tight. He looked so lonely. While she had been enjoying the Black's company, her dad had been here all by himself. A lump lodged in her throat as she edged into the room. "Hey, dad."

"Oh, hey, kiddo." Charlie had been so engrossed in the game he hadn't heard her come in. He straightened in his recliner, spinning it around so he was facing her. He appeared guilty to be caught with a drink in his hand. He put the beer bottle down and smiled tiredly. "You off to bed." He said automatically.

Bella felt tears prick at her eyes. He was so used to her not bothering to spend any quality time with him that he just accepted she was going off to her room. "Not yet." She found herself saying. Her voice sounded odd to her ears, and she cleared her throat, trying to act normal.

"Are you alright, kiddo?" Charlie wasn't fooled. He had caught the emotional lilt her in her tone. "If you want to talk…." He offered cautiously.

"Not about him." Bella didn't want to bring Edward into the conversation. She waited for the hole in her chest to rip open at the thought of him, but to her surprise she felt quite normal, just maybe a little melancholy, but still okay. "I thought I might watch the game with you." She motioned toward the screen.

"Really?" Now Charlie couldn't hide his surprise. But there was no hiding the pleasure in his face as he smiled. "Okay. Are you sure?"

"I'm sure." Bella made herself comfortable on the sofa. She curled her feet under her legs and rested against the cushions. "I mean as long as you don't mind me asking a ton of questions. I don't really know much about sports."

"No problem, kiddo." Charlie settled back in his recliner and smiled again. He didn't see his only child wipe away a discreet tear. Bella was touched at how something so simple could make her father so happy. She vowed to do more of this in the future, forgetting for a moment that she may not actually have one.

* * *

Victoria haunted her dreams. Everything was red, her long flowing curly hair, her vivid eyes, the black pupils surrounded by a sea of crimson. The sky behind was a violent shade of burgundy. The sun, normally so yellow, so bright, appeared to be drowning in its own blood as it sank below the horizon. Bella shuddered, her mouth open in a silent scream as Victoria hovered above her, white teeth dripping with venom. Cold fingers gripped her throat, squeezing, squeezing. Bella rasped, fighting for breath…..

"Bells." Someone was shaking her. Bella's eyes flared open. She sat up abruptly, gasping and choking. Her eyes were burning with tears. "Hey, kiddo. It's alright." It was Charlie who spoke. His arms were suddenly around her as he cradled his shaking daughter in his arms. "It's just a nightmare."

Bella was openly crying. She fought to breathe. It was all too real. She knew it wasn't a nightmare. No, this was Victoria reminding her not to get too comfortable in this new reality. She was out there, waiting. Bella knew she was going to die.

* * *

The next day dawned. Thick black clouds obscured the sky. It was raining heavily. Charlie had been forced to leave for work, running for the cruiser, his jacket held over his head to shield himself from the rain. "I'd stay inside today, kiddo. A storm's brewing." He warned her when he reached the car.

Bella stood on the front porch, arms crossed against her chest, complexion pale with fear. She was so tired. After her awful encounter with Victoria she hadn't managed to get back to sleep. She promised Charlie she would stay indoors, even though she knew she was going to break it as soon as he left. There was no way she was going to stay alone, not with the threat of Victoria hanging over her. Charlie called out a final goodbye and then drove off. Bella waited a few moments, just in case he returned. Then, she locked the front door and headed for her truck. Her reliable old Chevy was parked in the drive and she was itching to drive the old girl. She pulled her hood tight over her head and dashed down the porch steps, not really looking where she was going. Suddenly she collided with something hard. She rebounded, her breath stolen from her body. Bella would have hit the deck if not for a pair of warm hands steadying her. She glanced up from under her hood, heart hammering at a hundred miles an hour. Her lashes, coated with water from the rain, obscured her vision.

"It's just me."

"Sam?" Bella was surprised. She pushed her hood back, blinking rapidly.

"We should go inside." Sam suggested. He steered Bella back the way she had come. Bella didn't protest. She unlocked the front door again in silence, and then led the way inside.

* * *

"How did the meeting go?" Bella asked as she placed a mug of hot coffee in front of Sam. She took a seat opposite him at the table.

"So so." Sam shrugged. "The elders can be stubborn."

"Is…is Jake okay?" Bella enquired, trying to sound nonchalant. This was so weird, having a conversation with Sam like this. In her real life they hardly spoke to each other. He was normally so remote.

Sam looked at her knowingly. He blew on his coffee to cool it, before taking a long drink. "You worry about him."

"I worry about everyone." Bella replied, flustered. Two red spots of colour coated her cheeks, giving her away.

Sam smiled wryly. "If you say so."

"How's Leah?" Bella abruptly changed the subject.

"Angry." Sam's amusement disappeared. He was frowning now. "That's partly why I'm here." He hesitated, obviously uncomfortable confiding in a perfect stranger. In this reality this was exactly what she was, but they had forged a connection, albeit brief. Bella knew what he was, which meant he could speak freely. "I've been mulling over whether to do as you suggested."

"Yes." Bella said at once. "Tell her, Sam. She deserves to know. It could change everything and save a lot of heartache in the long run."

"What does that mean?" Sam's grip on his mug tightened. He had to force himself to loosen his fingers, otherwise he would crush it.

"It means lies always hurt. Leah loves you, whatever happens between you, she will be grateful just for the truth." Bella replied thickly. She was back in the past again, remembering Leah as she knew her, an angry scowl constantly marring her attractive face and her heart full of bitterness and innate sadness. Bella knew sadness well. She didn't want Leah to feel that here. It wasn't fair.

"Nothing is going to happen between us. I love her. I'm not going to hurt her." Sam was appalled and insulted. It was in every line of his body. He glared at Bella, irritated.

"You might not mean to." Bella continued earnestly. "But you might not be able to help it. Some things are out of our control."

"What do you know?" Sam demanded suddenly. He sat forward in chair, his muscles quivered with tension. "You keep making these cryptic statements, like you're some kind of seer or something. What is going on?"

Bella didn't know how to answer. Already she was learning that her actions could have major consequences here. One wrong move could make an already fragile situation worse. She floundered, not sure what to do or say. "I can't tell you what's going on." She said eventually. "I don't understand it myself."

"Jake trusts everything you say." Sam revealed suddenly. "He told me I should just trust you and not to ask too many questions."

"Jake said that." Bella was overwhelmed. Already he was trying to be her champion. She gazed at Sam helplessly.

"Yes, he did. He really went to battle for you last night. When the elders refused to believe that you could be trusted, he stood up and faced them all down. He told them that he was going to be Alpha one day soon, and that if they were going to place their trust and faith in him to lead, then they had to trust his instincts regarding you." Sam's revelation was astonishing. Bella's face was so easy to read. He saw the genuine emotions crossing her face. It was clear that she was stunned and truly touched by Jacob's belief in her. "Maybe I should take his lead." He conceded.

"You should tell Leah." Bella whispered. Her head was still reeling. It was clear things were changing already. This Jacob was different from hers. He was accepting his destiny, even before he had phased. Sam was not contesting it. He was rethinking his own opinion of her. It was clear he was on the verge of telling Leah everything. What this meant for his future imprint with Emily, or Leah herself, Bella didn't know. But at least Leah would be blessed with the truth of what Sam was now. "Tell her, Sam." Bella said with more conviction this time. "Warn Harry that you're going to do it, but still tell her even if he protests."

Sam looked at her for a long moment, as if he was trying to see into her mind. He then sighed, running his fingers through his cropped hair. "If this bites me on the ass I'm sending Lee straight to you." Sam quipped.

This alone shocked Bella. Sam never joked. A small smile curved her lips upwards. "Please don't." She pretended to shudder. "Leah scares me."

"Well sometimes she scares the hell out of me." Sam agreed. He stood up, getting ready to leave. "Want me to drive you to La Push? The storm is wicked out there."

Bella considered his offer. It was probably for the best. He was an indestructible werewolf after all. Knowing her luck she would probably crash and end up in a ditch somewhere if she attempted the journey herself. The storm had worsened while they'd had their little chat inside. She could hear the rain pounding on the window panes and the wind whistling down the chimney. "Thanks."

Sam grinned suddenly. "I'm not doing this out of the goodness of my heart you know. Jake asked me to come get you. He was worried about you driving yourself, so was Billy. I just took the opportunity to have a little chat."

"I thought as much." Bella returned his smile. This was a side of Sam she had never gotten the chance to see. This was probably the man that Leah fell in love with and couldn't let go of, not the stoical, melancholic man he later became after the tragic events leading up to his hurting Emily made him retreat inside himself. "Let's go then."

Bella chucked the keys to her truck toward him and Sam caught them easily. She was eager to get to La Push and see Jacob again. Already her nightmare about Victoria was fading in her memory. She was beginning to convince herself that this was her reality, not the other one. This was a dangerous game to play, but right now she decided to banish the red head from her mind and live in the moment.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	7. Chapter 7

**Back to the Beginning**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-the site is still not working, sighs. Thanks for the reviews guys!**_

 **Part Six**

"It's weird. It's like I can feel the wolf inside." Jacob confided to Bella. "Now I know it's gonna happen, I'm noticing the signs, you know."

This was something that her Jacob had never said before. Bella found this intriguing. They were in the garage. Jacob was tuning up the engine on the VW Rabbit. She was sitting on an old upturned crate watching him work. The scene was so familiar that it brought a lump to her throat. Jacob had his hair tied back with a rubber band, oil stains coated his fingers. Bella had grabbed some warm sodas from the Black's kitchen and made some sandwiches. It was only when she was in the midst of making them that she realised that maybe she was being rude. She was used to making herself at home in her other reality. But thankfully Billy didn't seem to mind her rifling through his kitchen cupboards.

"You never told me that before." Bella said without thinking.

Jacob paused in his work and glanced over his shoulder, brow furrowed in confusion. "Maybe because it's the first time I've told you that."

"Oh." Bella gulped. Her cheeks flushed and she averted her gaze.

Jacob stopped what he was doing and twisted around. He grabbed an oily rag and began to clean his hands with it. "You keep saying odd things like that."

"Just ignore me." Bella grabbed one of the sandwiches. "Here have something to eat."

"Thanks." Jacob took the sandwich from her and took a huge bite." This is good." He said with his mouth full.

"It's your favourite." Bella blurted out. She had slipped up again. Her face fell and she looked at the ground, flushing again.

"You seem to know a lot about me." Jacob leaned against the hood of the Rabbit and studied Bella carefully. He had told her he would place his trust in her, and he meant it, but the things she kept saying were really freaky. She knew where everything was in his house after only visiting a handful of times, she knew what he liked and didn't like. It was as if she was reading his mind. There was so much she was holding inside, that was obvious. Even gentle probing from Billy hadn't made her open up too much. At times she seemed to overthink her answers, than at others, especially when around him, she would forget herself and mention things he was supposed to have said or done that hadn't happened.

"You're so easy to read." Bella tried to make light of it. She was still avoiding his gaze. If anything she was the one who was easy to read.

Jacob didn't answer straight away. He could see she was struggling and didn't want to pressure her. Her cheeks were flushed again and she was giving him that sweet shy smile. Jeez, she could play him that was for sure. She was so pretty. He loved the way she would look up at him from under those long eyelashes of hers. He would never forget the first time she had tried to flirt ineptly with him when they had encountered each other on First beach. He had lapped up her attention. She was his dream girl. When Charlie had told Billy that his daughter was coming to live with him for a while, Jacob couldn't contain his happiness. He'd had a crush on the Chief's daughter for years. He had never forgotten her, even when she stopped visiting Forks when she was twelve. It was like she was ingrained in his memory. He watched her take a sip of her soda and take a dainty bite out of the sandwich she had made. She was just too cute.

"You know you can talk to me, Bells." Jacob said eventually. He drew near, hunkering down in front of her so their faces were almost on the same level. His height often surprised him at times. He was growing more each day. Already he had put on more muscle mass. Sam had told him it was a side effect of his wolf genes, not that he was complaining about that part. Thinking about the wolf made it stir within. It was such an odd feeling and completely unexplainable, but Jacob was sure that if he tried to mentally communicate with his inner spirit animal that it would answer.

"I know." Bella looped a lock of hair behind her ear, but it soon fell forward again.

Jacob unconsciously reached out and took the silky strands between his fingers. He heard Bella's breath hitch. She licked her lips, her beautiful brown eyes wide, nervous. Jacob was captivated. He let the lock of hair curl around his fingers before finally tucking it behind her ear. It was an overfamiliar gesture, but Jacob couldn't help himself. The urge to touch her was strong. He couldn't believe he was being so forward. He let his fingers trail across her cheek. Bella's lips parted as she gazed at him, not moving. She was so still. Jacob touched her chin, tilting her head upward. He fell to his knees, edging forward so their faces were inches apart.

Then just like that Bella turned her head, breaking eye contact. She rose to her feet, walking away a few steps, arms slipping around her waist defensively. Jacob made an annoyed sound in the back of his throat. It felt like he had whiplash. He was angry. He didn't want to be, but rejection was a bitch. He strode over to the Rabbit and slammed the hood down. The loud sound startled Bella and she let out a small cry of surprise.

"Sorry." Jacob muttered.

"Don't be sorry." Bella hated the fact that she'd hurt him. She hadn't expected him to try and kiss her. It was a shock. At this stage in her relationship with _her_ Jacob, he had stayed firmly on the right side of the friendship line. But then she had been in the midst of her depression. Here she was acting different. So perhaps that affected how Jacob perceived her and what was happening between them. She wasn't so blind that she couldn't feel the attraction. Sam had already hinted how obvious it was on her part. So if he saw it, Jacob would see it too.

"You just broke up with your boyfriend. I was being an ass. I just thought…." Jacob paused, staring at his heavy work boots.

Bella felt her heart constrict at the reference to Edward. She didn't want to bring him here, not in this moment. She swallowed down the memory of him and approached Jacob, hands outstretched. "There is so much I wish I could explain."

Jacob's expression softened. His skin, which had begun to heat up, cooled. His anger faded away. He chastised himself. This was another side effect of the wolf gene he had to be careful of, the irrational anger. Sam had warned him. For a moment he had forgotten. "You can talk to me. There is no judgement here. No matter how crazy it sounds." He caught her hands and tugged her closer. "You told me that I'd told you about the pack. Like a future me or something." He watched Bella's cheeks flush as she ducked her head. She was hiding her expression from him. Jacob wanted to see her face. He needed to see her face. He let go of one of her hands and reached out to gently prop her chin in his fingers. He raised her head so she was forced to look at him again. "You said that you'd lived it. So, you know what's coming."

His hold was too strong. Bella couldn't turn away. A single tear escaped her eye and ran down her cheek. Jacob caught the shining droplet on the end of his thumb; it sparkled like a jewel in the weak light, before it slid down his skin and away. The tension was rife between them. "Things are changing, Jake. I don't know what is ahead now."

"We were more than just friends though. Weren't we?" Jacob persisted. Above everything else he needed to know this.

Bella's lips quivered. She could lie. She could insist that they were just friends in her other reality. But it would be an obvious untruth. Jacob had placed his faith in her. He had defended her actions to the elders. Sam had backed off because he trusted Jacob's judgement when it came to her. Even Billy had taken the pressure off. They were allowing her to go at her own pace, not insisting that she tell them what she knew or even explain how she knew, at least for now.

"Bella." Jacob brought her attention back to him. Bella felt like she was drowning in the dark pools of his eyes. He inclined his head closer to hers. His warm breath ghosted across her skin. Her lips parted, eyes closing. He was going to kiss her, and she was going to let him.

The door to the garage was kicked open. "Hey, Jake." The voices were familiar. Bella opened her eyes again, staring. It was Quil and Embry.

Jacob let go of Bella's face and cursed. "Get the fuck out." He snapped, whirling around.

"Calm down." Quil appeared shocked. He held up his hands as if to ward Jacob away. His short hair was gelled into spikes. Embry, taller than his friend, was staring at Bella with his mouth open. His shoulder length hair swung into his face, forcing him to push it back. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and smiled shyly toward Bella. Quil had noticed her too. His expression became calculating and immediately he went into flirt mode. "Hey, good looking." He actually winked.

Bella tried not to laugh. This was familiar. Quil was an incorrigible flirt, even if he did it badly. Embry was his usual shy self, although this had changed when he phased and became more confident in himself.

"I'm Quil Ateara." Quil was holding his hand out toward Bella. She took it, still trying to hold in her laughter. Jacob was glaring at Quil with a laser like stare. But it was having no affect whatsoever on the thick skinned Quil. "This doofus is Embry."

"Hey, Embry." Bella greeted him. She shook his hand too.

"What are you tools doing here?" Jacob interjected irritably. He was pissed at the interruption.

"You called and told us to come, moron." Quil reminded him. His eyes were still on Bella. He smiled lazily, winking again. "You can see who got the brains." He said slyly.

Jacob had forgotten. With Bella taking up all his attention it had slipped his mind that he had called Quil to come over. It had been decided and agreed by the elders that now Jacob knew, that all the other carriers of the wolf gene were going to be informed. Embry wasn't supposed to have come with Quil. This was going to make things difficult. His mother was from the Makah res originally. He would not have the gene, although it was still a mystery who his father was. Quil was for definite, Seth too, even though he was so young. Jared and Paul had already phased.

"Yeah, I called _you_." Jacob glared at his friend meaningfully.

Bella looked between them all. Embry seemed startled by Jacob's inference that he wasn't wanted. He frowned. "Is there some kind of secret that I'm not allowed to know?" He said mulishly.

"It's nothing, Em." Jacob pretended to shrug as if it was no big deal.

Quil appeared confused. He glanced at Bella, then Jacob, before looking at Embry. "What's going on?" He asked, all attempts to flirt were now on hold. The tension was obvious.

"Jake, can we talk in private." Bella whispered to him.

"Bells, there isn't time." Jacob knew he had to try and get Embry to leave, but how was he supposed to do that without upsetting him. He was already suspicious. Old Quil, young Quil's grandfather and the most senior elder, would be arriving with the other old men soon. It would be clear that something odd was going down.

"Jake, please." Bella begged. "It's very important." Her eyes strayed to Embry. He was scowling and glaring at Jacob. He had been quick to anger, his fists were clenched now. Bella groaned internally as she recalled that Embry had actually phased before Jacob. "Oh darn it; he's one of them too." She blurted out when Jacob refused to heed her.

That got everyone's attention. Bella's face was burning red with mortification. Jacob looked at Embry, studying him warily. "You mean…"

"Yes." Bella continued desperately.

"But how?" Jacob was confused. "He doesn't have the bloodline."

"Yes, he does." Bella said louder than she intended.

"What bloodline?" Embry demanded. His anger had overcome his shyness and he approached Jacob and Bella, waiting for an answer.

"Nothing, Em." Jacob pulled Bella behind him. He had finally noticed Embry's unusual demeanour. "Just chill, okay."

"I want to know what you meant." Embry wouldn't back down. Not knowing who had sired him was a sore point. He'd had to live with the stigma all his life. His mother refused to enlighten him. The rumours were rife that it was someone on the res. That was why his mother had upped sticks and moved to La Push, leaving her immediate family back on the Makah reservation. Hearing Jacob talk about bloodlines had sparked his resentment. He tried to contain his irrational anger, but was struggling. His arms began to shake. "What do you know?"

Bella could read the signs. She was so familiar with it. How often had she seen Jacob this way? How often had she calmed him down? But this was Embry, her attempts to do the same for him would fall on deaf ears. "Jake, he's gonna phase."

"What?" Jacob was alarmed. "How do you know?"

"He's exhibiting all the signs." Bella pointed toward Embry. Beads of sweat were coating his brow. He was shaking like a leaf. Quil was staring at them all in alarm.

"But how is that…."

"Oh, jeez he has the gene. Joshua Uley is his father." Bella confessed.

"What the fuck?" Embry swore. His eyes were blazing.

"Shit." Jacob grabbed hold of Embry's shoulders and shook him. "You need to calm down."

"Like hell I will. Where does she get off saying things like that?" Embry pointed a shaking finger at Bella.

"Em, come outside." Jacob tried to pull him out of the garage but Embry wouldn't budge. "Dammit." Jacob's muscles flexed as he gritted his teeth and used his brute strength to drag a shaking Embry outside. His friend fought him, yelling and cursing like crazy. His skin was on fire. His form was blurring.

"JACOB!" Bella screamed as she heard the rip of clothing. Embry was no more. In his place stood a huge, grey wolf, with black flecks along his flanks. His huge paws sank into the ground, his fur bristled. The wolf whined, clearly panicked. It tottered forward heading straight for Jacob, completely unaware of what it was doing. Bella screamed Jacob's name, begging him to move, but Jacob didn't. His eyes were closed, as if he was mediating or something. Then to Bella's shocked eyes his form shimmered too. Jacob phased, his clothes splitting apart, and fluttering to the ground at her feet. A huge russet wolf was in his place, his thick fur shone red in the weak light. He hunkered down, meeting the confused grey wolf head on. They collided, scuffling for a moment before the russet wolf tore off toward the trees, calling for the grey one to follow it. The grey wolf staggered for a moment; before it took the others lead and headed toward the trees. Soon they were both out of sight, leaving Bella and a stunned Quil staring after them.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	8. Chapter 8

**Back to the Beginning**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews! Let's hope the site stops glitching. I hope this chapter posted this time. Hugs, Nikki.**_

 **Part Seven**

"This is freaking awesome. A fucking wolf! I'm gonna kick some ass." Quil was ecstatic. Instead of being upset that he was one day going to explode into a massive ball of fur and teeth, he was over the moon. His grandfather, Old Quil, rapped him on the back of the legs with his walking stick, irritated by his use of language. "Ow." Quil pouted. He scowled at his grandfather. "What was that for?"

"Hold your tongue, boy. I will not be forced to listen to your profanities. There are ladies present." Old Quil scolded him.

"Where?" Quil muttered, glancing around the room.

Old Quil motioned toward Bella. She was sitting on the Black's old couch being consoled by Billy. She was an emotional wreck. She felt responsible for what had happened. How could she have forgotten that it was Embry Call who had phased first? Because of her lack of foresight she had inadvertently made a stressful situation worse. Not only had Embry phased without warning but in that same moment he had found out whom his father was. She couldn't even begin to process how Embry must be feeling. She had screwed up royally. Then there was Jacob. Bella would never forget the moment that she had seen him literally force his own transformation. The elders had arrived moments after Jacob and Embry had turned wolf. It had taken a while for the senior elder, Old Quil, to get any sense out of his shocked grandson and a stricken Bella.

Quil was sitting on the couch next to Bella now, sulking. His grandfather had warned him to take things seriously and that this was not a game. Quil wished he was outside with Jacob and Embry, not in here with his buzz killing grandfather and the other old men. Bella Swan may be hot, but she was snivelling on Billy's shoulder. Quil didn't understand what all the fuss was about.

"It…it was…was my fault." Bella lamented for the hundredth time.

"You couldn't have predicted this." Billy said again. His dark eyes met Old Quil's. So far they had only received a garbled explanation as to what had happened. Amidst the jumble of Bella's ramblings they were stunned to hear that she appeared certain that Joshua Uley was Embry's father. There had been rumours over the years, he was one of several candidates, but to hear an outsider confirm it was shocking.

Harry hovered on the edges of the group. The other old men whispered amongst themselves. They kept looking at Bella with suspicious eyes. Old Quil was forced to quieten them too. The last thing they needed was for distrust to build up against Bella. "So you knew it was going to happen to Embry." Harry spoke for the first time. His normally jovial expression was missing, to be replaced with a worried frown.

"Yes." Bella's head was still reeling. She couldn't think straight. She was so worried about Jacob and feeling guilty about Embry and her part in his transformation. This was so different from her other time line, and she was scared about what this meant and the impact it might have on the pack as a whole.

"How?" Harry demanded suddenly. The other elders looked in Bella's direction, scrutinising her carefully.

"Come on now back off, Harry." Billy tried to shield Bella from any more interrogation. "The poor girl is in shock."

Harry ignored his friend. "I need to know. Will this affect my boy?" He questioned.

"Seth is too young." Billy reminded him.

Bella's face paled further. She was like a rabbit caught in headlights. The other old men shuffled closer. She felt like she was being ganged up on. What was she supposed to say? The atmosphere was tense. Even young Quil was picking up on it. He inadvertently began to shield Bella too, whether this was in some kind of weird loyalty to Jacob, she didn't know. It wasn't like they really knew each other well yet.

"She's in league with the cold ones. I warned you about this." One of the old men, Jeramiah, spat accusingly. "How else would she know about these things? She's been sent to spy on us, to gather secrets about the pack. She's been under the influence of the Cullen's for months. I say…."

"SHUT UP YOU OLD FOOL." Billy interjected angrily. His dark eyes bored into Jeremiah, making the older man quail. This was the first time Bella had seen Billy like this. He looked every inch the chief of his tribe as he slapped down Jeremiah, putting out the flames of suspicion before they could take root in the others. "You are talking nonsense."

"Sit down, Jeremiah." Old Quil ordered. "Billy's right. The Cullen's are long gone."

"But she knows too much." Jeremiah didn't sound so full of himself now. He sat down on a vacant chair and crossed his arms defensively across his chest. "None of this makes any sense."

"Bella, why don't you go into the bathroom and freshen up." Billy said kindly. He was giving her a chance to escape. She gave him a grateful smile before hurrying out of the room. She made sure to keep her head down so she didn't have to meet any of the elder's eyes. It was bad enough she could feel their gazes boring into her. She heard young Quil protest and ask to be released too, but his grandfather stopped his complaints with a sharp retort. Bella felt sorry for Quil, but she could see why his grandfather was keeping such a tight rein on him. Quil could be reckless at times, and did things without thinking. It was certainly going to be a culture shock for him when he did finally phase. His pack brothers wouldn't be too forgiving if he pulled any pranks. Bella wondered how Jacob would handle having to lead his friend and keep him in line. In her reality it had been Sam in charge, but Quil hadn't been his close friend. For Jacob this would be a whole unique experience. Her head began to hurt just thinking about all the changes that were already taking place.

Bella hastily locked herself in the bathroom and splashed water on her face. When she raised her head she caught sight of her reflection in the mirror above the sink. Her complexion was pale and ghostly. With trembling fingers she tried to ease the worry lines in her forehead, even her touch was cold. She flinched. It was a too clear reminder of Edward. She tore her eyes away and found a towel, dabbing her face with it quickly. Bella didn't want to go back to the front room. She could hear raised voices coming from there. It seemed that Jeremiah was voicing his displeasure again now she was out of the way. Instead she snuck out of the bathroom and headed for Jacob's room. There wasn't much she could do about the elder's opinion of her, but there was something she could do for Jacob and Embry. Bella rifled through Jacob's wardrobe and retrieved some of his clothes. The least she could do was leave them on the front porch so Jacob and his friend had something to change into when they finally came home.

* * *

It was another hour before the elders left. It seemed that Billy and Old Quil had managed to persuade the others to back off for now. Bella watched from Jacob's window as the old men began to leave. She saw young Quil, a sullen look on his face, help his grandfather into the back of his car. Another one of their relatives, a young man she didn't recognise, was driving. One by one they all left, until only Billy and Harry remained. It was raining heavily again. Bella's view of the two men was obscured. She wondered what to do. Should she go outside or stay where she was. Bella chose the latter. Instead she lay on Jacob's bed, hands clasped in front of her, brown eyes trained on the ceiling above. She felt so tired, so lost. Every move she made was affecting everything. Seeing the consequences of her decisions in this time line only served to remind her how her original ones had affected everyone in her own reality. Bella didn't think she was able to carry more guilt then she already did, but her shame intensified as she began to relive her past actions in all their gory detail.

Eventually she fell into a light doze as exhaustion crept up on her. But as her eyes closed Victoria's face swam in front of her. The red headed vamp's feral snarl rang in her ears. Her cold, icy grip was tight on Bella's throat. Bella screamed….

* * *

"Hey, Bells. It's me…." Bella awoke, struggling violently. It was only when she opened her eyes that she realised that it was Jacob holding her down. He was hovering above her, his dark eyes full of concern. She felt his warm fingers wrapped around hers as he tried to hold her still. "It's alright." He continued soothingly.

Tears of relief leaked out of Bella's eyes. She was so glad to see him. She stopped fighting and threw herself into his arms, sobbing against his shoulder. It escaped her notice that his chest was bare. It was only when her cheek grazed his hot skin that she realised. Bella gulped. This was too much like the intimate moment they had shared in the tent, her pressed against his hot body as he tried to keep her warm. His skin was silky smooth under her fingers. She was caressing it unconsciously. Her face burned. When she dared to glance up at him from under her long lashes she noticed his was too. "Sorry." She mumbled, embarrassed.

"Don't be sorry." Jacob smiled. "I should have put on a shirt or something. I didn't think." He was still dressed in the shorts she had left for him on the front porch a few hours earlier. They hung low on his hips, revealing a thin line of hair leading down from his navel to…Bella's skin burned again as she realised where her thoughts were leading. "Are you okay, Bells?" Jacob had noticed she appeared dazed.

"Yes, yes." Bella untangled herself from his embrace and sat up on the bed.

"Are you sure?" Jacob wasn't convinced. He had been so eager to see her that he had run straight to his room. He had followed her scent so knew exactly where she was. This was all so new to him. His sense of smell was so acute. So was his hearing. Before he had opened his door he had been able to hear her rapid breathing. It was clear she was having some kind of nightmare. He had rushed in, desperate to comfort her. In his haste he had forgotten he wasn't wearing much. Her heart was beating rapidly. It was as clear as a bell to him.

"It's the shock of waking up that's all." Bella pulled her sweaty hair back from her face. She must look such a mess. She blushed, trying to avoid staring at his muscular chest. Dammit, she should be used to this. Her Jacob had never worn much clothing after he'd phased. Why was she being so affected now? She breathed easier when Jacob finally pulled on a t-shirt. But still the thin material clung to his body, revealing the definition of his muscles underneath. "How's Embry?" She asked to distract herself from her shallow thoughts. "How are you?"

"He's coping." Jacob revealed. "He's crashing at Paul's place tonight."

"Paul's?" This astonished Bella. She had thought Paul was the last person to be able to help Embry in this situation.

"He can't stay at Sam's." Jacob answered her question before she had even spoken the words aloud. "He doesn't know about Em being his half-brother and Em sure isn't ready to deal just yet. Paul is a tool sometimes, but he's loyal to his brothers." Jacob paused. "I would have brought Em back here, but…." His voice trailed off as he looked at her guiltily.

"Oh, because of me." Bella hung her head. "He must hate me. I never meant to blurt it out like that. I should have warned you…."

"Why didn't you?" Jacob asked. He sat forward on the bed, turning his head sideways to look at Bella.

"I forgot." Bella said honestly. "I know that's such a crass thing to say, but it's the truth. I've just been so caught up with trying to get my bearings. I know it's not an excuse."

"So you knew Em was going to phase. You knew who his father was." It wasn't a question, just a statement. Jacob glanced down at his hands. They were full of cuts where he'd hurt them on the brambles as he chased Embry through the undergrowth. The memory of his own phasing was just a blur. He'd acted on instinct. Embry was frightened when he had turned wolf, and wasn't in control. Jacob had panicked that he would hurt Bella or Quil by accident. He knew that the only way to help Embry was to transform himself. It was like his wolf had been calling to him, giving him the onus to do what needed to be done. In the end it had proven so simple. Jacob had answered the call of the spirit wolf inside and had phased. The feeling had been incredible, it wasn't pain he'd felt, it was over so quick. Unlike the others Jacob had been in complete control. Sam had already informed him of the mental communication between the pack. This had helped him talk to Embry, to calm him down enough to follow. Jacob would forever be grateful that Bella had pre-warned him. Otherwise he would have been as helpless as his friend. Jacob took her hand between his own and tugged her around so she was facing him. "Thank you, Bella. Thank you for being brave enough to tell me the truth."

The sincerity in his voice was clear. Bella's anxieties fell away. Whatever wrongs she had done or would do in the future, telling Jacob about his wolf wasn't one of them. The burden in her heart eased, just a little. "You're welcome." She whispered, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

 _ **A/N-thank you all for reading!**_


	9. Chapter 9

**Back to the Beginning**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews and continuing to follow this story.**_

 **Part Eight**

"Can you cut it, please?" Jacob asked Bella. He held a shiny pair of scissors in his left hand.

Bella gazed at him. She could see how difficult this was. Jacob's long hair was a part of him. He had confessed to her once that he'd grown it because he couldn't bear anyone else cutting it after his mom died. His sisters had offered, but he wouldn't let them touch it. Now he was being forced to let go of the last part of Sarah. "Are you sure? Maybe Billy…." Her voice died when she saw the pained look on his face. "Okay." She took the scissors from him. "Sit down." She watched as he sat in the chair with his back toward her. "Are you sure?" She checked one last time.

"Yes." Jacob replied huskily. "Just do it."

"Okay." Bella took the silky black strands between her fingers. She knew it had to be done; the length of Jacob's human hair affected the length of his wolf fur. No one knew why. It was just an odd side effect. In her reality it had been Sam who had sheared Jacob's hair the first time after he'd phased. Half of it had been torn from his head after his transition. But this time it wasn't so bad. It was tangled, but otherwise not so badly affected. She took her time combing through the snarls. Jacob sat quietly, not speaking. Bella didn't engage him in pointless conversation. He was struggling, she knew it. It was a poignant reminder of how awful it must have been for her Jacob when Sam had cut off his hair. He would have had to remain stoic, appear unaffected. Why hadn't she understood? Why hadn't she been more empathetic at the time? Her Jacob had confided his deepest feelings to her and all she had been thinking about was damn Edward. "I'm sorry, Jacob." Bella whispered brokenly. Even snipping the first strands was agony.

"Why are you sorry?" Jacob sounded confused. He twisted his head around to look at her, astonished when he saw how upset she was. "What's wrong?"

"I just know how hard this is for you." Bella swallowed thickly. She cut another lock of hair off and watched it slide to the floor.

"It's just hair, Bella." Jacob tried to sound nonchalant.

"But I know you never cut it because of Sarah. She was the one who used to do it and…."

Jacob's eyes widened. His breathing became rapid and he turned his face away from her. "How could you possibly know that? No one knows that."

Bella's fingers trembled. She stopped cutting, afraid she'd scalp him if she didn't get her emotions under control. She had inadvertently hurt him and she hated herself for it. "I'm so sorry."

"Please stop saying that." Jacob's voice was thick. His fists clenched in his lap. "Can you just finish cutting it?"

"Okay." Bella murmured. She had to stop making things all about her. She fought back her turbulent emotions and concentrated on the task at hand. She owed him this; she could give him this one small thing. They didn't converse again. The only sound was the chopping sound of the scissors as Bella continued to cut Jacob's hair.

* * *

"You've done a good job." Billy inspected his son's head. "Better than I could have done." He smiled wearily. "Thank you."

"Yeah, thanks." Jacob was himself again. It had been a shock to see his new haircut. He was so used to his long hair spilling around his shoulders unless he tied it back, that he felt naked. He was feeling a bit embarrassed about his emotional reaction when Bella had cut it. She had simply been trying to help him, and he'd been short with her. When Billy was out of earshot, Jacob caught Bella's hand and turned her to face him. "I'm sorry I overreacted before."

"I understand." Bella tried to shrug it off.

"No, I was out of line. It just threw me when you told me that you knew about why I kept my hair so long." Jacob saw guilt flicker in Bella's eyes. He stroked the palm of her hand with his thumb in an effort to calm her nerves. "It must be so hard for you, knowing so much, but afraid to say anything in case people think you're crazy." He paused. Two bright spots of red coated Bella's cheeks. She was so pretty, he became distracted. "Um…you can trust me. I meant what I said before. There is no judgement here." He held his breath, waiting. Hoping that Bella would finally open up and reveal the real truth behind how she knew so much. He saw her frown, she was battling with herself. That was clear. He longed for her to confide in him. He needed her to do so. But he saw the shutters come down. Bella tugged her hand out of his and smiled sadly. "You don't trust me." He couldn't hide the disappointment in his voice.

"No, I don't trust _me_." Bella replied forlornly. She tucked her hands in her pockets. The palm of her hand was still tingling from where he had caressed the skin. "I've caused so much hurt already, Jake. I don't want to cause more, especially not to you."

"You wouldn't hurt me." Jacob scoffed. "I don't believe that."

Shame made Bella avert her gaze. "You don't know the half of it." She mumbled.

Jacob opened his mouth to protest more, but Billy called out to them. Charlie was on the phone, wondering when his daughter was coming home. Bella hadn't realised how late it had gotten. She flashed Jacob a guilty smile before she hurried over and took the phone from Billy, grateful for the distraction; she had been this close to spilling her secrets.

* * *

Two days passed. Bella spent most of her waking hours with Charlie. Her father had taken a few days off work and was insistent that they spend some time together. This new involved Charlie was completely foreign to Bella. She was finding it difficult to get used to. But his efforts to bond with her were so endearing. Because she had expressed an interest in watching sports with him on the flat screen, Charlie decided to take his only daughter to a local baseball game. So, to her surprise, Bella found herself in the stands at Forks high, watching Mike Newton and his team getting thrashed by their local rivals. She hadn't expected to get caught up in the game, but she found herself, just like the other spectators, yelling their displeasure when one of their team fouled up.

Unfortunately an irritating side effect of her sudden appearance at the game was Mike Newton's renewed interest in her. He came up to her with his puppy dog grin, devotion sparkling in his eyes. He was overjoyed that Edward and the Cullen's had left, but did his best to appear at least a little sympathetic. Charlie did a disappearing act half way through her conversation with Mike, obviously trying to do the polite thing and give her time with a friend. That meant she was forced to endure Mike's company as he waxed lyrical about what they could do together that weekend.

"I don't think Jess would like that." Bella tried to put a stop to Mike's attempt to arrange a date. This was something she hadn't foreseen. She was going to have to go back to school. She would have to do the same lessons all over again, relive the same conversations. It was a stark reminder that Edward and his family had been doing this for decades. It was awful. To be forced to endure high school over and over in different states. How could she have wanted this for herself?

"Oh, Jess and I broke up." Mike Newton pronounced with an uncaring shrug. "She was too clingy."

Bella became even more desperate as she realised where this conversation was leading. "Well it's lucky you're not dating me then, huh."

"I would be lucky to date you." Mike hadn't caught her heavy hint.

Bella sighed, searching desperately for Charlie. Where was he? She needed rescuing. "You know Edward moved to LA just to get away from me, right." Mentioning Edward's name tore at her heart. She winced, but managed to keep her tone even.

"Well he's a fool then. I wouldn't do that." Mike tried to take Bella's hand, but luckily Charlie had returned. Bella scowled at her father. Charlie appeared confused. Mike was annoyed at the interruption but he hid it well. He tried to charm Charlie to get in his good books, but Charlie was too focused on Bella to take much notice

"Ready to go, kiddo."

"More than ready." Bella breathed a sigh of relief. She waved to a disappointed Mike as she took Charlie's arm and practically dragged her father out of the school.

* * *

Harry was waiting for them when they returned from the game. It was the first time Bella had seen him since her interrogation by the elders. He was sitting in his truck, waiting. Fishing gear was loaded up in the back. He was munching on a burger with a side order of fries. He had stopped at the local diner and bought a takeout to pass the time. Bella climbed out of Charlie's cruiser, suddenly feeling tense. She could see Harry felt the same. He looked at her for a long moment, before covering up his tension with a forced smile. He hailed Charlie. "The fish are biting."

"Good." Charlie grinned. He rubbed his hands together. "Is there room for one more?"

"One more?" Harry's brow furrowed in confusion. He swallowed down the last portion of his burger, nearly choking on it. He saw Charlie's look of disapproval. "A man needs to eat." He said testily.

"What happened to the diet Sue put you on?" Charlie questioned.

"Diet?" Harry shook his head. "There's nothing wrong with this body." He laughed, recovering his good humour. He patted his paunch playfully.

An overwhelming feeling of anger suddenly ignited within Bella. How could he take his health so lightly? It was clear Sue was worried. She was a nurse, so would know more than anyone what risks her husband was taking. Harry was making a joke of her concerns. Well it wasn't funny, not at all. Didn't he care about the effect it would have on his family or his friends if something bad happened. Bella had seen the aftermath already. Harry's unexpected death had destroyed his family, had broken her father, and Billy too. Bella had already tried to warn Billy, but recent events had pushed it to one side. She hadn't seen Jacob in the last two days because he was so caught up with his pack. They had spoken briefly on the phone, but not long enough for any significant conversation. She had been taken up with reconnecting with her own father. But seeing Harry again, making light of his health and others worry about it, pushed Bella over the edge. _"You are so selfish."_ She spat.

"Pardon?" Harry stared at her, aghast.

"Bells, watch your language." Charlie scolded her. He was shocked at the way she was speaking and the angry expression on her face. He didn't understand what had sparked this outburst. "Perhaps you shouldn't come fishing with us if you're gonna…"

"Fishing?" Bella could hardly speak she was so mad. "I hate fishing."

"But I thought…." Charlie blustered. He felt silent when he saw his daughter begin to shake. He watched as she marched over to Harry, who was still holding the carton of fries in his hand. His friend appeared dazed, uncertain how to react to Bella's sudden temperamental display.

" _You're gonna die."_ Bella snapped at Harry. She made a grab for the carton of fries. They spilled out of the container onto the drive. Harry stared at Bella, shocked. He opened his mouth to protest, but no words came out. Bella wasn't done. "Don't you care about anything? You've got a weak heart. You're not supposed to eat this kind of crap. All you do is make cheap jokes at your wife's expense. She loves you, you old fool. Leah, Seth, they love you too. My dad loves you, Billy too. All these people care about you." She cried passionately, face red with exertion. "And you throw it back in their faces because you're too selfish to go on a simple diet." She stepped back, voice shaking. "You're gonna die real soon if you don't stop. Please, for the sake of everyone who loves you, just stop?"

"Bells…." Charlie reached for his daughter. He was still reeling from her impassioned speech, just like Harry. He wanted to applaud her. It was obvious her unexpected outburst had done what months of wheedling and pleading from him and Harry's family hadn't. He could see Harry was deeply affected. "Bells." Bella shrugged Charlie off and ran toward the house. She was openly crying now. The front door slammed behind her.

* * *

"It's all kicking off at the Clearwater's." Jacob confided to Bella a little while later. They were sitting on the front porch of the Swan house. It was late evening. Clouds scudded across the darkening sky. Rain was threatening to fall again.

"I'm sorry." Bella hung her head, feeling ashamed. She hadn't meant to lose her temper like that. It wasn't like her, but her frustration had boiled over. She hadn't really been yelling at Harry, she'd been yelling at herself.

Jacob bumped his shoulder against hers and grinned. "Don't beat yourself up. What you did was a good thing."

"It was?" Bella questioned, raising her head again.

"Yeah, you made Harry actually listen. He went straight home and began emptying the fridge. He apologised to Sue and has promised to take his health more seriously. He's booked in for a check-up at the local hospital." Jacob revealed.

Bella felt tears prick at her eyes. She wanted to cry, but was so tired of doing so. But the emotional relief she was feeling right now couldn't be described. She sniffled, resting her head on Jacob's broad shoulder. She was beyond speech right now.

"You knew something was gonna happen to him, didn't you." Jacob continued quietly. He felt Bella nod against his shoulder. "C'mere." He dared to slip his arm around Bella. He smiled when she shifted closer, seeking comfort. "I don't think you realise what good you're doing here, Bells. You've done so much to help us. Without you I would be struggling. You've saved Harry from being blasé about his health. You've brought me and dad closer together."

"What about Embry?" Bella reminded him.

"Em is coping. It was a shock, but he's been waiting to find out who his dad was his whole life. Now he knows. He's got a brother, Bells. That's a good thing. He's over at Sam's now talking to him." Jacob confided.

"Really?" This was surprising news. Bella raised her head. She hadn't realised how close her face was to Jacob's. His expression was soft, gentle. "I'm glad." She faltered; it was hard fighting the undeniable attraction she felt toward him. He definitely wasn't fighting his. It was obvious by the way he was looking at her. "How do you think Sam will take the news?" She asked distractedly.

"I think deep down he kinda already knew." Jacob's gaze had dropped to Bella's lips. He inclined his head closer. "It's like things are falling into place, Bells." His nose touched hers. His eyes flicking back to her face. He smiled. "Don't you think?"

A car drew up interrupting their intimate moment. Jacob cursed, pulling away and glaring at the unwanted visitor. Bella, still dazed, turned to look too. She groaned internally when she saw Mike Newton's Suburban. Jacob was standing up now. He looked pissed. Bella struggled to rise. Mike was already climbing out of his car. A smile was plastered all over his face, but it soon faded when he was confronted by a six foot something shape shifter. "Um…is this a bad time?" He said nervously, looking over at Bella.

"And who might you be?" Jacob demanded, with arms crossed across his defined chest, biceps bulging.

"He's a friend from school." Bella interjected quickly. She put a calming hand on Jacob's arm. "What can I do for you, Mike?"

Mike had recovered himself. He smiled again. "A group of us are going to catch a film. I was hoping you'd join us." He asked hopefully.

"Not right now." Bella gave him an apologetic smile. "Jake's visiting, so…"

"Oh, you're the kid from the res." Mike said. "I've heard Bella mention you once or twice. I gotta say you're tall for a fourteen year old."

"Sixteen." Jacob ground out.

This was too much like the past, a different set of circumstances, but heading the same way. Jacob hadn't been a werewolf when she had ended up on a double date with him and Mike to see that awful film at the cinema in Port Angeles. It had actually been that night that had triggered Jacob's transformation. Mike sure didn't know who he was dealing with. She watched him hold out his hand for Jacob to shake. Jacob reluctantly took it, nearly crushing Mike's fingers in the process.

"That's quite a grip you've got." Mike said in a high pitched falsetto as his face paled. He flexed his fingers painfully.

"Uh huh." Jacob was giving Mike the evil eye. "So this is a group thing, right."

"Yes." Mike mumbled.

"Cool. I can come then." Jacob grinned suddenly, showing his pearly white teeth.

"Jake." Bella said in a warning tone.

"Bells…." Jacob bumped his shoulder against hers. "This could be fun."

"I doubt it." Bella muttered under her breath. There was no way she could back out without a viable excuse. "We'll take my truck." She suggested.

"All three of us." Mike wheezed as he eyed Jacob warily. "In the front cab?"

"It's a bench seat." Bella muttered irritably. There was no telling how this evening was going to turn out. She fetched her keys and opened the driver's door of the old Chevy. Jacob helped her climb in before he ran around and took the seat next to her. Mike was forced to squeeze himself in the small space between Jacob and the passenger door. "Well this is cosy." Bella said as she switched on the loud engine.

"Sure is." Jacob shoved Mike to one side, making more room for himself. Mike was wedged further against the driver's door, his cheek pressed against the cool glass. He let out a small grunt. "You alright there, Marvin?" He asked sarcastically.

"It's Mike." Mike squeaked.

"Whatever." Jacob slid his arm around the back of the bench seat, stretching out further. He gave Bella a teasing smile. "You ready, honey?" He winked at her.

Bella glared at him. "Behave." She mouthed.

"Hell no." Jacob laughed at her disgruntled expression as she pulled out of the drive and headed for Port Angeles.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	10. Chapter 10

**Back to the Beginning**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the reviews! I really appreciate it.**_

 **Part Nine**

It was as Bella expected. Halfway through the terrible action movie Mike had to make a run for the bathroom. Up until that point she'd been doing her best to avoid him holding her hand. She was wedged up against Jacob, who was laughing quietly in amusement at her dilemma. He was probably enjoying seeing her squirm. It was clear that he had no rival for her affections in Mike Newton so he was completely relaxed.

"We should check on him." Bella whispered to Jacob after Mike hadn't returned after ten minutes.

"Really?" Jacob rolled his eyes. "This movie was getting good."

Now it was Bella's turn to roll her eyes. "If you think that then you need your head examined." She stood up, ducking down a little to avoid getting in the way of others who had come to enjoy the lame show. Jacob didn't bother. He just strolled casually out of the theatre, ignoring the annoyed murmurings from the other patrons as he blocked their view. "You go on and see if Mike's alright." Bella urged him as they came out into the light.

"Jeez, do I have to." Jacob protested. He sighed dramatically as Bella motioned toward the men's room. She waited outside; arms crossed and foot tapping impatiently. A few minutes later Jacob re-emerged with a disgusted look on his handsome face. "The dude will be in there for a while. He's still puking his guts up in the toilet."

"Ewww…" Bella felt her own stomach churn. She began to walk along the corridor. Jacob strolled beside her. This was so reminiscent of her past. But this time Jacob's hair was short, even though his boyish innocence was still there, there was a maturity about him that couldn't be denied. He had grown up within a matter of days. Bella felt his fingers reach for her hand. Before, she had shied away from him holding her hand at this point, but she didn't this time. She let him wind his fingers around hers as he led her toward the same set of steps they had sat on before. It was all too surreal. Bella's head was swimming. She sat beside Jacob pensively, wondering what was to come. Would their conversation be the same, or would there be subtle changes. She braced herself.

Jacob sat forward, his hands resting on his knees. He glanced at her, smiling his special smile. "So…this is different."

"You think?" Bella was caught short by this statement. She saw confusion flicker in Jacob's eyes. "I mean, yeah."

Jacob turned to face her fully. He took hold of her left hand. He turned it so her palm was facing upwards. The silvery scar from James' bite glimmered in the overhead lights. He frowned, rubbing his thumb across it. Bella felt dread fill her heart. Jacob hadn't done this before. Back then he wouldn't have known. But he knew now. She felt sick. Victoria's feral face appeared in her mind's eye. Bella recoiled.

"Does it hurt?" Jacob asked worriedly.

"No." Bella whispered, panicked. She tried to wrench her hand out of his grip but he refused to let go. His thumb was tracing the scar again. "Please, don't."

"Okay." Jacob was looking at her intently. There was no shyness now. He shifted, closing the gap between them. "I know you're sad a lot, Bells." He looped a lock of hair behind her ear. "But I want you to know that you can count on me. I would never leave you. I would never hurt you like _he_ did. I promise." His fingers skimmed her cheek, leaving a trail of warmth behind. He cupped her chin. "You can trust me."

This conversation was the same but different. The difference was in Bella. In her reality she had shied away from Jacob's touch at this point in their relationship. She had told him how broken she was, that she could never reciprocate his feelings because Edward would always hold her heart. But experience had taught her otherwise. In between this and Edward's return, her Jacob had gotten under her skin. He'd become a part of her without her realising. There was no way she could dismiss his affections now. She wasn't the same person. Events here were different. She had been the one to send Edward away before he had a chance to tell her he was leaving. Having that small control over events had saved her from her spiralling depression.

"I trust you." Bella found herself saying.

"Good." Jacob was smiling again. He was caressing her face with gentle strokes. His dark eyes were full of tenderness. He was pleased that she had expressed her faith in him. He put a finger under her chin and guided her face closer to his. He smiled again, closing his eyes. He was going to do it. He was going to kiss her.

"I feel awful." Mike's whiny voice broke them apart.

Jacob snapped his head around, growling. Bella was alarmed. She saw Mike's baby blue eyes widen in surprise at this unusual noise. She placed a hand on Jacob's arm, quietening him. "You don't look well." She said to Mike. "I'll take you home."

"Yeah." Mike agreed sullenly. "I am ill you know." He said directly to Jacob as if trying to convince him.

"Lightweight." Jacob muttered under his breath. He was scowling, annoyed at Newton's interruption.

Bella tried to soothe both of their ruffled feathers. "I think you caught it from Eric. He's ill isn't he? That's why he's not here."

Mike nodded his head eagerly. "See." He told Jacob.

"As if I care." Jacob caught Bella's hand in his and twined their fingers together. He raised her hand to his lips and kissed the back of it. His action made it clear to Newton that he had no chance with Bella.

Bella sighed. "Come on let's go before you're sick again." She really didn't want have to clear up after Mike if he couldn't keep his fluids down. She tried to recall if he'd made it home before without puking.

"Use this popcorn bucket." Jacob suggested. He thrust it into Newton's hands. "I'll drive." He told Bella in a tone that brooked no argument. He walked quickly out of the cinema, towing Bella along with him, forcing Mike Newton to hurry after them.

* * *

Jacob parked the old Chevy in the driveway of the Swan house behind Charlie's cruiser. He killed the loud engine. The sudden quiet was deafening. He turned to look at Bella. She was sitting with her hands clasped in her lap, her expression thoughtful. She hadn't said much on the journey home. It was difficult, especially with Mike the moron complaining about every jolt the Chevy made. Jacob made sure to go over the bumpiest bits of the road, just to increase Mike's difficulties. The tool deserved it. By the time they dropped Newton off his complexion had turned green. He had run off into his house with barely a goodbye.

"Are you okay, Bells?" Jacob asked, placing a hand on her back. He stroked her silky hair, gazing at her in concern. "You're not feeling sick too, are you?"

His words pulled Bella out of her introspection. She had been back in the past, reliving the same night. This was the beginning of their forced separation. Sometime between dropping her home and reaching La Push, Jacob had phased for the first time. The memory was painful. She had been so upset and lonely when he wouldn't return her calls. It saddened her just thinking about it.

"Bells." Jacob prompted her.

"I'm fine." Bella smiled, but her mouth wobbled.

"What is it?" Jacob put his arm around her, bending down to peer into her eyes worriedly.

Bella couldn't help herself. His kindness and concern for her wellbeing was her undoing. She sobbed, placing her hands over her face to hide from him. "This was the night you first phased. We didn't see each other for weeks. I called and called, but Billy wouldn't let me see you or talk to you. He told me you had mono. I was so worried about you. In the end when you still wouldn't speak to me on the phone I decided to confront you…."

Jacob was completely thrown by this. He didn't interrupt but let her ramble on. "You were with them. I was so happy to see you. After days of feeling utterly abandoned and miserable. I'd been so worried. Then there you were, out in the rain with Sam and the others. You weren't ill. You didn't have mono. I confronted you and we argued. You promised I could count on you, that you would never leave me. But you did, you did…."

"Bella, that didn't happen." Jacob interjected. "I'm right here. I would never do that. I would never abandon you."

"But you did." Bella pulled her hands away from her face. Her eyes were glistening with tears. "You left me all alone. I didn't know what to do. I was a mess. That's why I went wandering, trying to search for that dumb meadow. I wanted to hear Edward's voice to try and fill the void. I was so empty inside. But in my stupidity I encountered Laurent. If it wasn't for you and the others he would have killed me."

Jacob was totally confused. He felt like he had whiplash. She was jumping from one bewildering scenario to another. One second she was sad, then angry at him, now she was scared. He caught her wrists in his as she began to shake with hysteria. "Hey, calm down. Just breathe, Bella. Breathe."

Bella shuddered. She tried to match her breathing to his, deep and even. It took a while, but she eventually felt her heart stop hammering in her chest. Her memories faded, she was back in this moment again, this reality. She looked at Jacob's handsome face, brow creased with worry, and felt ashamed. How could she lose control like that? _Her_ Jacob had good reasons to avoid her at the time. He was newly phased and not in control. But that still didn't stop the sting of hurt making her emotions raw at the memory of his perceived abandonment. "I told you I was crazy." Bella hung her head.

"You let slip once that you'd lived this before." Jacob reminded her. "What did you mean by that? You know so much yet you refuse to share how you know." He waited patiently for her to answer. He had a feeling she wasn't going to brush him off so easily this time.

Bella was quiet for a long time. She stared at her hands, twisting and turning them in her lap. So much was different here. Her every action, her every word was changing things. How could she explain to Jacob when she barely understood it herself? When this had all started she assumed it was some bizarre trippy dream. But so much time had passed and she was still here. At night her dreams were haunted by Victoria. She was always at that same point in the battle. Victoria, hovering over her, cold fingers curled around her throat, squeezing, squeezing. Bella began to cry again. She was frightened. For the first time she admitted to herself that she didn't want to go back to her own reality. She much preferred this one.

"Bella, please talk to me." Jacob reached for her hand.

"I…I have lived this all before." Bella finally admitted. She raised her head and looked at Jacob, expecting to see him stare at her in disbelief. But he wasn't staring at her like she was crazy. There was nothing but empathy in his eyes. "I can't explain it properly, Jake. I don't really understand it myself. But I think somehow I've travelled back in time. I don't know how or why but…but I don't want to go back. I want to stay right here….with you. I don't want to ever leave."

Jacob pulled her into a tight embrace, trying his best to console her as she began to cry in earnest. What she was saying was so out there, but he believed her, every word. He couldn't comprehend how much she must be suffering daily, knowing already what was going to happen, and scared to open up in case she said or did something wrong. No wonder she clammed up so often. He thought about what she had revealed about him, or this other Jacob, her so called best friend. Thinking about it angered him. His counterpart was a fool to abandon her like that without a word. He couldn't understand his reasoning. Bella was shaking in his arms. Jacob just held her tighter, pressing her against his hot body protectively. "I'll always be here for you, Bells." He vowed. "I'll protect you, always. You'll never feel alone again."

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	11. Chapter 11

**Back to the Beginning**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you all for the kind reviews and for following this story.**_

 **Part Ten**

It was a relief to Bella that Jacob believed her. She knew it sounded crazy. Traveling back in time! None of it made sense. She was still unsure herself. But with his support she felt less alone, but it didn't make it any easier on her. What was she supposed to do? Keep silent? Spill her guts about everything she knew and damn the consequences. Some things had worked out in her favour. Jacob knowing before he phased had really eased his transition. Embry appeared to be coping with the shocking revelation of who his father was. She had frightened Harry into making changes in his life in order to improve his health. That more than anything was a weight off of Bella's mind. But she still hadn't told anyone about Seth or indeed Leah's transformation. Would it even still happen? What about Emily? In Bella's time line Sam had already imprinted on Emily by this stage.

It was such a heavy burden to bear. Bella spent another sleepless night. Victoria haunted her dreams as usual, but this time so did her anxiety over the Clearwater's. She was beginning to wonder whether it was time to mention something discreetly, maybe to Billy or Harry, about what may come. Would they even believe that a female could phase. It had been a shock in her reality. Here they would think she was insane.

"You're not sickening for something are you, Bells?" Charlie asked in concern the next morning. He noticed the dark circles under his daughter's eyes from lack of sleep. She looked peaky. "Maybe you shouldn't go into school today." He suggested.

This was a boon to Bella. She had completely forgotten about it. She agreed hurriedly before Charlie changed his mind. "I might go straight back to bed. I think I caught it off of Mike."

"Mike?" Charlie questioned. "The Newton boy?"

"Yes."

"I didn't know you and he were um…." Charlie struggled to use the word dating. He scratched his chin awkwardly.

"No dad." Bella refuted firmly.

"Oh, okay." Charlie smiled in relief. "I mean he's a good kid but you don't want to get tangled up in another relationship too soon."

"No." Bella agreed faintly as her mind drifted to Jacob.

"Well I'm off to work. Call me if you need me to come home, kiddo." Charlie got up from the kitchen table and dumped his breakfast bowl in the sink.

"I'll be fine. I just need some sleep that's all." Bella gathered herself together and stood up. She could use some shuteye but doubted that it would happen. Every time she closed her eyes Victoria was always there, waiting.

"The rest will do you good. See you later, Bells." Charlie gave her a quick hug and then promptly left.

* * *

It was a slow day. Being alone only gave her too much time to dwell on all her problems. She tried calling Jacob, but no one answered, not even Billy. It was pointless driving to La Push on the off chance. Bella tried to distract herself with housework. It worked for a while. She did the washing, ironed the dry laundry. She hung up all of Charlie's pressed shirts neatly, smoothing out all of the wrinkles. Bella dusted, vacuumed, swept. She took out the trash. She polished the kitchen table until it shone. You could see your face in the sink. After four hours of intense activity she was exhausted physically, but mentally she was as overanxious as ever. She craved sleep.

In the end Bella tried watching a movie. She put on one of Charlie's DVD's. He loved old black and white cowboy films. John Wayne appeared on the screen, whistling. Bella nearly laughed at his enormous hat. His spurs dragged along the dusty ground as he pushed his hat up his sweaty forehead. She tried her best to concentrate on the inane dialogue, but before she was aware, her eyes drifted closed and she fell into a light doze.

* * *

 _It was cold. Bella fidgeted, trying to seek some warmth. She sighed irritably as she fumbled around for her duvet. Where was it? Bella rolled onto her back, one arm flopping forward. Her hand hit something hard, rigid. She became still, heart beating ten to the dozen. This couldn't be happening. Her fingers twitched. She tried to delay the inevitable, but failed. Cold fingers entwined around hers. "Bella." The voice whispered her name, silky and smooth as honey._

 _It was his voice. It was Edward. Bella opened her eyes, scooting backwards at the same time. She nearly fell off the bed. It was only his tight grip on her hand that prevented the fall. Bella stared at him, confused, disorientated. Time apart had dimmed his beauty. He was too ethereal. His white skin gleamed in the half dark. He was smiling at her indulgently. "You've been dreaming, my love." He crooned. He reached across with his other hand and gently grazed the skin of her cheek with the back of his hand. His touch was so cold. Bella shuddered._

" _This is a dream." Bella said in despair. She put her hand to her forehead, rubbing her temples. She sat upright, her long hair falling about her shoulders. "You're not real." She glanced at him again, blinded by his beauty._

 _A frown marred Edward's perfect features. Her words seemed to hurt him. "I am as real as you."_

 _Bella stared at him, uncomprehending. "I don't understand. You left."_

" _I came back." Edward soothed. "I'll never leave you again. I promise. You can count on me, Bella. I will protect you, always."_

 _His words were a mishmash of Jacob's the night before. It was like he had stolen them. Bella scooted further away from him. "Where's Jake?" She demanded. "Where is he?"_

" _Jacob who?" Edward gave her bland smile._

 _Then it all changed. Edward's features distorted. They became more feline. His golden eyes began to bleed until they darkened to a vibrant red. His hair grew alarmingly fast, turning dark red, as if it was on fire. Bella felt the cold snow seeping into her clothes. Victoria was hovering above her, cold fingers wrapped around her throat, face contorted into a feral snarl. "Tick tock." She hissed_.

 _Bella screamed…_

* * *

Something was holding her down. Bella thrashed around, fighting. She lashed out. There was a faint gasp, then an annoyed curse. The hold on her loosened and Bella was able to move. She rolled, falling off the sofa, and hitting the floor with a dull thud. "Ow." Pain exploded in her left elbow. Her eyes flared open and she gazed around blearily, trying to get her bearings.

"Next time you want to throw a punch, warn me." A female voice spat sarcastically.

"Huh." Bella sat upright, holding her head in her hands. She moaned softly. "What happened?"

"I knocked on the front door but no one answered." The same female replied irritably. "Then I heard all this screaming. The front door wasn't locked so I came inside. I thought you were being assaulted or something."

Bella finally managed to clear her vision. She gaped at her unexpected visitor. Her eyes took in the sleek back bob which ended at the girl's chin. Her eyes, dark like melting chocolate, glared back at Bella. She was scowling, a familiar expression to Bella. She had seen this expression on her visitor's face countless times. The girl stood up, hands on hips, her posture only enhancing her athletic frame.

It was Leah Clearwater.

* * *

"Is it helping?" Bella asked solicitously. She watched as Leah placed the frozen pack of peas over her right eye.

"Not really. I'm going to have a black eye now thanks to you. That's what I get for trying to do the right thing." Leah complained. She was sitting in Charlie's recliner, long legs stretched out in front of her. She adjusted the frozen packet of peas over her eyes.

"I'm sorry." Bella apologised for the umpteenth time.

"So you keep saying." Leah muttered. She winced. Her damn eye was smarting. "Who knew that you had a mean left hook? You look as weak as a kitten."

"It was an accident." Bella protested. Even in this reality Leah was already getting under her skin. They had always rubbed each other up the wrong way. "Why are you even here?" She demanded rudely. She had given up trying to apologise.

"Well you're the only other one who knows." Leah retorted angrily. "I could hardly confide in Seth. Or mom." She rolled her eyes. "Dad would have a meltdown if he knew that I knew. Sam wasn't supposed to tell me."

It finally dawned on Bella what Leah was talking about. So Sam had done as she suggested and told Leah about his wolf side. "Wow." She breathed.

"Wow? That's all you have to say?" Leah continued irritability. "My freaking boyfriend bursts into a ball of fur at the drop of a hat and all you can say is _wow_." She imitated Bella's voice perfectly. "Jeez, girl, I hope you gave lover boy a better reaction than that."

"Lover boy?" Bella questioned in confusion.

Leah snapped impatiently. "Jacob, dumbass."

"Jake and I….we…I mean…um…." Bella's skin burned with mortification.

"Damn, you're making this hard work." Leah complained. She dumped the frozen peas and touched the underside of her eye gingerly. "Is it bad?" She asked Bella.

"Um…well….."

"Oh, forget it." Leah sighed and slumped back in her chair. "It's all so freaky, right. I mean all those times Sam just bailed on me. I thought he was seeing someone else, you know. But it turns out he was…." She shook her head in disbelief.

"Yeah." Bella tailed off. She didn't know how to respond. She wondered how much Sam had told Leah. "Um…when did he tell you?"

"Last night." Leah let out a low whistle. "Fuck, one second we're making out the next he's blabbering about telling me something huge." She paused and studied Bella carefully. "Sam mentioned that they all communicate with their thoughts. Freaky!" She leaned closer to Bella and lowered her voice conspiratorially. "They can share each other's you know what." Leah tapped the side of her head. "I warned Sam I'd kill him if he let slip anything. I have to tell you though, girlfriend, you better get Jake's head under control. Sam says some of the things he's let slip…." She laughed as she watched Bella's skin turn rosier. "I'm kidding."

"Oh, right." Bella said weakly. "I knew that. Jake and I, we're just…."

But Leah wasn't listening. She began to describe to Bella what Sam looked like in his wolf form. As if she didn't already know. Bella sat back and let the other girl ramble on. It was clear that Leah needed to verbalise her reaction to someone in the know just to wrap her own head around the weirdness of it all. It gave Bella time to gather her thoughts. She was still suffering the aftereffects of that awful nightmare. It had freaked her out seeing Edward again in all his glory. For a moment she had believed that she moved time zones again, but it was her mind playing tricks. Bella shuddered at the memory of Victoria. Tick tock she had said, what did this mean? Was it a warning? Was her time running out?

"Are you okay?" Leah had finally noticed that Bella had fallen silent. "You look peaky."

"I've got one of those sickness bugs." Bella lied.

"Don't pass it to me." Leah said in disgust.

"Shape shifters don't get sick." Bella muttered unthinkingly.

"I'm not a shape shifter." Leah snapped. "That's Sam, Jacob and the others."

"Yes, sorry." Bella cursed her slip of the tongue.

Leah stared at her for a long moment before she climbed out of Charlie's recliner. "Anyway thanks for the chat." She said sardonically. "But I have to go. My cousin's coming over. I'm hoping she's brought some of her makeup with her so I can hide this damn black eye." She touched the underside of her eye again carefully.

Bella's head shot up. Her heart hammered in her chest. "You mean Emily." It wasn't a question.

"How do you know my cousin's name?" Leah asked curiously.

This couldn't be happening. Emily couldn't come now. It would ruin everything and cause untold chaos. Bella grabbed hold of Leah's arm to stop her leaving. "You can't let Emily come. Please send her away, Leah." Bella pleaded desperately.

"Jeez, you are so weird." Leah snatched her arm away from Bella. "What have you got against my cousin? You don't even know Emily."

"Please." Bella begged again. She ran in front of Leah, trying to get in the other girl's way. Leah barged past her, angry now. Bella grabbed her arm again and used the sheer force of her weight to drag Leah to a halt. "Please, I'm doing this for you. You have to prevent Emily from coming to stay."

"Get off." Leah began to fight with Bella. "You are fucking crazy. I should never have come here."

"Please listen to me." Bella was openly crying. Tears streamed down her face. "I'm not crazy. I'm trying to help you."

"Help me do what." Leah demanded, seething. She shrugged Bella off. "You're insane."

"I'm not." Bella whispered brokenly. "You have to believe me. I'm only trying to stop it happening."

"There you go again. Stop what happening? You're making no sense." Leah yelled.

Bella had no choice. She knew that now. She could either let Leah leave and let fate take its course or risk telling her the truth and damn the consequences. Her arms wrapped around her waist in an attempt to hold herself together. She fought for breath. Leah was staring at her in alarm. "If you don't send Emily away…" Bella faltered. "Then you'll lose Sam. You'll lose everything. And there will be nothing you can do to stop it."

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	12. Chapter 12

**Back to the Beginning**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Part Eleven**

Leah was livid. She paced back and forth like an angry cat, scowling. Bella reached the end of her garbled explanation, hoping desperately that it made some sort of sense. Trying to describe imprinting was difficult. Bella only knew what her Jacob had told her about it; he had never really gone into specifics. She guessed that Leah had only listened because she couldn't deny the fact that Bella was the one who knew what Sam was, if not for her prompting him, Sam would never have revealed his wolf side to Leah at all.

"If even what you say is true, Emily would never betray me like that." Leah said defensively as she continued to glare at Bella. "She is not just my cousin, but my best friend too. We're like sisters."

"Emily never wanted to hurt you." Bella felt drained. Too much emotional overload was killing her energy reserves. She sat down on the sofa and clasped her shaking hands in her lap. "Neither of them did. From what I understand once a shape shifter imprints on you, it's hard to resist them." She didn't even realise she was talking as if it had already happened.

"You're contradicting yourself." Leah snapped. She had stopped pacing. Her hands were down at her sides, fists clenched. She was having a hard time stopping herself slapping Bella, she was so angry. "According to you the imprintee, or whatever the fuck they're called, has a choice. They can choose for the guy to be their friend, brother or tell them to piss off. Now you're saying that it's impossible. You're talking bullshit."

"I'm only telling you what I know." Bella continued tiredly. She brushed her hair out of her eyes. She was holding herself together by a thread. Any second she could unravel. She was regretting starting this conversation with Leah. She wished she'd held her tongue. It was clear no good was coming from it. Some things you just couldn't change. It was hard enough trying to explain how she knew this. Jacob had understood, Leah not so much.

"I'm going to have this out with Sam." Leah declared suddenly.

"You can't." Bella sighed. "Sam doesn't know. None of them do. Not yet."

"What?" Leah stared at Bella, uncomprehending. "That's crap. How could something this huge that affects their lives be kept secret? You're lying." Her eyes narrowed. "You're sick and twisted. Well I'm not playing your game. I won't be manipulated."

"Yes, I'm lying." The thread snapped. Bella couldn't cope anymore. She slumped in her seat. She couldn't even cry. She had no tears left. "I've made this all up. Carry on living your life and when the shit storm descends I promise I won't say I told you so."

Her defeated tone more than anything pierced Leah's anger. She paused, scrutinising Bella carefully. The other girl didn't look well. It was clear she wasn't sleeping. The dark circles under her eyes were like purple and blue bruises. Her complexion, normally pale, had turned white. She appeared exhausted and way too thin. "What is wrong with you?" Leah asked.

"I'm a freak, remember." Bella mumbled. She was having trouble keeping her eyes open, but was scared to close them. She knew Victoria would be waiting to bait her when she did. It was getting so bad she was afraid to sleep.

"You believe all this stuff you're saying." Leah sounded uncertain now. Her defensiveness was gone. Bella forced her bleary eyes to focus. Leah was sitting back in Charlie's recliner, her beautiful face thoughtful. It was clear that the consequences of ignoring Bella's warning were finally sinking in now that her anger had dissipated.

"I don't believe it. I've lived it." Bella repeated the same words she had told Jacob. There was no hiding it now. She tried to explain it to Leah in the same terms, how she thought she had shifted back in time somehow. "I can't explain it better than that. I don't understand it myself."

"If Sam wasn't a werewolf, then I'd be out that door believing that you're fucking insane. But he is, which means you're not." Leah swallowed thickly. She pulled her legs up to her chest and hugged them to her body. She was quiet for a long time. Bella was glad of the respite from questions. She curled up on the sofa, doing her best not to doze. Eventually Leah spoke again. Her normally confident demeanour was missing, she sounded younger than her years. "This means my dad knows, doesn't it." It wasn't a question, but she still looked to Bella for verbal confirmation.

"Yes." Bella whispered. She wasn't prepared for the hurt crossing Leah's face. Leah gasped, turning away to hide her expression. It was killing her knowing that her beloved father knew all about this imprinting thing as well as the wolf pack. He had prior knowledge how this could affect his only daughter, but chose to remain silent. "I'm sorry, Leah." Bella said sadly.

"You said you've lived it." Leah took a deep shuddering breath. "You've seen my future."

"A possible future." Bella pointed out wearily. "Things are already different in this time line."

"Because you're trying to change them." Leah continued.

"Yes, trying." Bella sat forward, her hair swung around her face and she batted at it irritably. "But I'm making a mess of it. I made some really poor decisions. I hurt a lot of people, especially Jacob. I just wanted to make things better."

"Did you hurt me?" Leah asked quietly.

"No, for once I wasn't to blame. At least I don't think so. A lot of what happened started way before. I only witnessed the aftermath." Bella hung her head again. Past memories were fighting for room in her head and she tried to push them aside. Reliving old guilt would not help her here.

"So I lost Sam to Emily." Leah said slowly. "She betrayed me and he…he didn't fight for me?" She questioned bitterly. "He just gave in to it. Did I mean nothing to him at all? Maybe there is something going on already." Her anger was rising again. "Maybe they're playing me for a fool."

"It's not like that." Bella noticed Leah's fists clench in her lap and she became alarmed. "Please calm down."

"I won't." Leah snapped. "I want answers."

"This reality is different, remember. None of this has happened. Emily and Sam aren't…"

"You said it yourself." Leah retorted miserably. "You only witnessed the aftermath."

"No…no…no…." Bella struggled to rise. She was so physically exhausted it was like she was moving through quicksand. "You have to calm down and think this through rationally."

"THERE IS NOTHING RATIONAL ABOUT IT." Leah was getting hot. Beads of perspiration broke out on her skin.

"Please…." Bella begged. She didn't know what to do. How was she supposed to calm Leah down? She approached the other girl, arms wide in supplication. It was clear she had made a huge error in judgement by speaking so rashly to Leah. It had been an emotional event which had triggered the she-wolf's phase, and this situation was no different. "Please calm down." Bella continued to plead. She finally noticed that Leah's black eye had faded during their tense conversation. It was starting; the ability to heal quickly was a sure sign. Who was going to rescue her if Leah transformed in the house. Emily's ruined face appeared in her mind's eye. Was this how it was going to play out here? Was she going to be the one to take Emily's place?

Bella knew her words were having no effect. She gazed at Leah hopelessly. The other girl was practically vibrating with anger. "Forgive me." She whispered as she closed her eyes and began to pray.

* * *

 _Bella's back was frozen; her clothes were sticking to her skin, wet from the snow lying on the ground. But even they weren't as cold as the grip from the icy fingers encasing her throat. The air was being squeezed from her lungs. Bella's eyes flared open. She choked. Victoria was hovering above her, a wicked smile playing about her full lips. Before, Bella couldn't hear a thing. It was always just Victoria in her line of sight; nothing else came through, as if the sounds around them were muted. But they weren't now. In the distance she could hear the sound of fighting. Edward's voice called her name desperately. It echoed off the mountainous cliffs. There was a loud howl, followed by a pain filled whine, Seth._

 _Victoria's head darted forward. She placed her cold lips next to Bella's ear and emitted a sibilant hiss. "The clock is ticking…."_

 _Bella's eyes rolled in the back of her head. She was suffocating. Victoria squeezed harder. The pain was so acute. She began to drift into blessed unconsciousness. It was only in her last moments of sentience that she felt something hard encased in the palm of her hand. All this time she hadn't realised she had been holding onto something. She rubbed her thumb over the small object. Its smooth lines were familiar. It was the wolf charm Jacob had given her._

 _Before she could even comprehend what this meant darkness consumed her…._

* * *

"Bells, Bella….wake up." It was Jacob. He sounded desperate, panicked. Bella woke up violently. She was gasping, choking. The remembered feel of Victoria's fingers squeezing her throat was still raw. She lashed out, trying to escape. "Hey, it's me. It's just Jacob." Jacob was forced to push her back down. He hovered above her, dark eyes full of fear.

"Jacob?" Bella rasped. She finally became still. She stared up into his handsome face. She watched the dawning relief shine in his eyes. He eased his grip on her and sat back on his haunches, pulling her upright with him. "What happened?" Bella asked, dazed. She could hear sobbing in the background. She twisted her head around. In the other corner of the room she saw Sam embracing Leah. The other girl was curled up against her lover, head buried in his chest. She was mumbling something but Bella couldn't hear. Sam was doing his best to soothe his girlfriend. He shot a desperate glance at Jacob. "What happened?" Bella asked again, stronger this time.

Jacob exchanged a long look with Sam before he replied. "We came here to find you fitting on the floor. Leah was going hysterical." His swallowed a few times as if trying to erase the chaotic scene he had just witnessed. "You scared the crap out of me, Bells. I didn't know what to do." He closed his eyes for a second. "If we'd just been a moment too late…." He couldn't continue. It was too much.

Bella tried to get her frazzled mind to work. This back and forth, the shifting realities were killing her. She put her hand on Jacob's chest, trying to find his heart. She needed to feel him, to feel something solid, dependable. She felt his strongly beating heart jumping under his hot skin. It was racing. Bella counted the beats, trying to regain a sense of self. Eventually her breathing slowed, as did Jacob's heart. All the while he continued to look at her anxiously. Bella gazed back at him, feeling overwhelmed and hopeless. "Leah…." She said eventually.

They both looked toward Leah. Sam had lifted her up into his arms now. She was still curled up against him, her face hidden. Sam was whispering to her, trying to get her to talk, but Leah had clammed up, seemingly beyond speech. Jacob placed a hand on Bella's face and returned her attention back to him. "Bells, has this happened to you before?" Jacob asked. He touched her cheek in the gentlest caress.

"No. I…" Bella paused. She was clutching something in her hand. Bella tore her gaze from Jacob and dropped it to her palm as she uncurled her fist. "Oh, my god." She breathed in awe.

Jacob looked to see what had captured her attention. His eyes widened in surprise. "Where did you get that?" He fumbled in the pocket of his shorts and came up empty.

"You gave it to me." Bella couldn't stop staring at the tiny wolf charm. The russet wood gleamed in the weak light shining through the windows.

"I didn't. I haven't finished carving it yet." Jacob took it from her and held it up so he could examine it. It was complete, finished. "How did you get it? I don't understand." He asked, puzzled.

"I think I brought it back from the future." Bella whispered in wonderment. "This has to mean something, a connection." With eyes shining, Bella grabbed Jacob's hand. "All this time I thought it was Victoria, but maybe it was you, or…or something to do with the spirits giving me another chance."

"I don't get it." Jacob was totally confused. "You're not making any sense. And who's Victoria?"

Bella ignored his question. She was feeling a renewed sense of mission. The wolf charm was like a talisman, giving her what she needed, hope. She struggled to rise, but felt dizzy. Jacob caught her before she fell. "Jake, we need to go and speak to your dad. Sam and Leah need to hear this too. The time for secrets has passed. It's time that I told the whole truth and it's time for Billy to do the same."

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading! Is Bella wrong in her assumptions? Let me know what you think, thanks.**_


	13. Chapter 13

**Back to the Beginning**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews and for following this little story!**_

 _ **I am afraid this is an angsty chapter. It can't be avoided as the dreaded discussion of imprinting rears its head. There is a lot going on here. I urge you to read between the lines. Bella is missing something vital here; can you tell what to me should be obvious to her?**_

 _ **On with the story….**_

 **Part Twelve**

Bella was overtired. She was running on pure adrenaline. Lack of sleep began to take its toll. She wasn't thinking straight. It didn't cross her mind what the repercussions would be when she dropped the truth bomb on them all, or how Billy was going to cope faced with the sudden task of having to explain to his only son, Sam Uley and Leah all about imprinting. Leah was still catatonic. Her body was in stasis. She was fighting to stay in it. Unbeknownst to her, coming so close to phasing had played havoc with her hormones. They were in flux. Bella's sudden seizure had halted the natural progression. Jacob had driven Bella's old Chevy to La Push, while Sam took Leah's car. He was deeply worried about his girlfriend. He had no inkling of the shit storm that was about to await him.

Billy greeted them all happily, at first unaware what was about to go down. It was only when he saw how ill Bella looked, and the state of Leah, that his happiness faded to be replaced with panic. Sam was practically carrying Leah, while Jacob was holding Bella upright. The girl was wafer thin and her brown eyes were hazy, as if she was suffering with a fever. "What happened?" Billy directed his question to his son.

"Bells had a seizure." Jacob helped her to sit down. Sam placed Leah next to her on the old couch. Leah immediately curled up into a ball and hid her face against the cushions.

"Seizure?" Billy was alarmed. "Why didn't you call an ambulance?"

"I'm not ill." Bella insisted.

"Bells, you don't look well." Jacob hunkered down beside her. He was regretting letting her persuade him to bring her to La Push. His father was right. He exchanged a worried glance with Billy and Sam. "I should drive you to the hospital."

"No." Bella shook her head. She held the wolf charm in her hand, feeling the smooth edges against her palm gave her courage. She had come to tell the truth and nothing was going to sway her now. Having the charm had to be a sign. It had to, all the warnings from Victoria, the endless back and forth. It had to indicate that time was running out. "I came here to tell the truth about everything." Bella focused on Billy. "You need to do the same."

"About what?" Billy was confused. He wondered if Bella had been ill all along. Her arguments about how she knew certain things had been persuasive, but maybe weren't as genuine as he had begun to believe. He knew that Jacob trusted her implicitly. But then Jacob was biased. His feelings for Bella could be clouding his judgement. Billy wondered if his own judgement had been impaired because Bella was Charlie's daughter. Perhaps the things she knew about the wolf pack had been told to her by the Cullen's after all.

"Imprinting." That one word made Billy's heart stop in his chest. He stared at Bella, aghast. "You have to tell them about it. I tried to tell Leah, but…." Bella hesitated, gazing at the other girl sadly.

"Why would you even mention such a thing to Leah?" Billy questioned. His heart had started again. It raced in his chest.

"What the hell is imprinting?" Jacob demanded.

"It's rare." Billy gripped the armrests of his wheelchair. He swallowed thickly. "It's nothing to worry about. It's not important."

"Then why hide it." Jacob felt betrayed. Billy's face had drained of colour. He looked as ill as Bella and Leah. "What the hell is it?"

"You have to tell them." Bella urged. "It's not rare. Not like you think."

"You've gone too far, Bella Swan." Billy cried out. "You may think you know some things but not about this."

"Yes, I do." Bella persisted. Billy's denial was riling her now. She fought through her exhaustion although she was close to collapse. She was so tired. "I've seen the affect it's had on all the pack. Leah and Sam, especially. Poor Quil too. Jared's wasn't so bad. At least Kim wasn't attached to anyone when he imprinted on her, but Claire is a child….." Bella was rambling now. She tried to stand but pitched forward as dizziness stole her balance. Jacob caught her and eased her back onto the couch.

"What is she talking about, dad?" Jacob confronted his father again. "Please, don't lie to me. I've only just begun to trust you again." He felt sick inside. It had taken a lot for him to forgive Billy for keeping the pack a secret from him. Now there was more. Sam was still by Leah's side. He looked at Billy, frowning. "Tell me, dad. No more lies." Jacob demanded one more time.

Billy had no choice. He gazed at his son, pleading with his eyes for understanding. But Jacob's face was hard. He wasn't in a forgiving mood. Billy felt tears prick at his eyes as he finally began to tell them what they needed to know.

* * *

They had all gone their separate ways to cool off. Billy was still inside the house, alone. Sam had gone outside with Leah. She still wasn't talking. Sam couldn't believe what he had just heard. First, in a shaky voice, Billy had told them about imprinting and what it entailed. It sounded like some kind of joke. Imprinting was the involuntary mechanism by which Quileute shape shifters found their soul mates. According to Bella his supposed soul mate wasn't the girl who was sitting next to him right now, completely unresponsive. The girl he loved unconditionally. It was her cousin Emily Young. A girl he had barely interacted with, let alone taken much notice of. He felt nauseated. He would never betray Leah that way, but Bella was insistent that in her so called _other reality,_ this was exactly who he had ended up with. He had stormed out at this point, forcing Leah to go with him. He didn't want to hear any more of this bullshit. He had believed Bella before, but she had to be lying now. Billy had confirmed that imprinting existed, but kept saying it was rare. Bella Swan was mad. She was enjoying the attention she was getting meddling in all their lives. That had to be it. It had to. Sam grabbed Leah into his arms and held her close to his heart. This was the girl he loved, only her. He refused to believe otherwise.

* * *

Billy's words were going around and around in Jacob's head. He had retreated to the garage with Bella. Like Sam he needed to breathe. He was so angry and upset. How could his father keep something as huge as this from them all? If not for Bella's insistence that the truth be told, none of them would have been any the wiser. Only when Sam imprinted on Emily would the truth have come to light. By then it would have been too late, for Sam and Leah at least. Jacob tried to drown out Billy's voice in his head….

" _ **Imprinting**_ _is the involuntary mechanism by which_ _Quileute_ _shapeshifters_ _find their soul-mates. It is a profound, intimate phenomenon that exists among the Quileute shapeshifters._

 _When a shapeshifter imprints on a specific person, he becomes unconditionally bound to her for the rest of his life. When it happens, the experience is described as being gravitationally pulled toward that person while a glowing heat fills him; the connections of everything else become severed, or simply secondary, and only the imprintee is left to matter, leaving the shape-shifter with a deep need to do anything to please and protect the person."_

Jacob pressed his hands to his head. He didn't want to hear it anymore. But his father's voice was relentless.

" _Imprinting occurs only after a wolf's first phasing. It can happen with anyone, regardless of previous personal feelings. It happens the first time he sees the human object of his imprinting; if the shape-shifter does not react to a human subject the first time he sees them after he phases, that means he will never imprint on that human."_

Jacob breathed deeply, trying to calm himself down. He paced, walking off his anger. It was only when he felt a pair of soft hands reach for his that his tension eased. Bella stood beside him, her eyes drooping. She looked so frail, as if a tiny puff of wind could blow her over. Jacob felt guilty. He had let his own anger undermine his need to protect Bella. She had been through a traumatic experience of her own. Still, despite this, she was doing her best to get everything out in the open. Her courage in opening her mouth had prevented an existential crisis for the whole pack. If Sam had crossed paths with Emily without due warning…Jacob didn't finish that thought. He gently guided Bella toward the old upturned crate and made her sit down.

"I'm sorry, Jake." Bella apologised. Her adrenaline rush had deserted her now. She was barely able to stay upright. Her lids were fighting to close. But Bella was afraid to sleep. She couldn't, not right now. Jacob had taken hold of her face. He was peering desperately into her eyes, as if he was looking deep within her soul. Bella stared back at him, wondering why he was gazing at her like that. It took her a moment to realise. Her heart felt like lead. "No, Jake. You didn't imprint on me. You tried. I know you did. You never told me outright but sometimes I caught you staring into my eyes, just like you're doing now. It won't happen."

"I'm not this other Jacob. I'm me." Jacob retorted desperately. He cupped her beautiful face within his warm hands, refusing to give up. He continued to look into her eyes. But nothing changed. The earth didn't shift on its axis. Everything remained the same. "It is you." He continued. "It is."

"It's not." Bella said dully. It was hitting her now. What this whole thing meant. Jacob wasn't hers. Just like Sam wasn't Leah's. She hadn't really prevented further tragedy like she'd at first thought. She had just given them all pre-warning that their lives were about to go to hell. Bella averted her gaze. She couldn't bear to see the hurt on Jacob's face. "You were never mine." She whispered dully.

"I won't imprint then. It won't happen to me." Jacob insisted. He spun away from Bella, rising to his feet. He began to pace again. "This other Jacob didn't, right. You would have said otherwise."

"No, not yet." Bella mumbled. It was the one overriding factor between them. The innate fear that one day her Jacob would forget all about her. One look was all it would take, just one. How could anyone live their lives like that? Waiting every day for that one person to suddenly enter their lives randomly and take away the man they loved. No wonder it had made Leah so bitter and twisted in her world. But here Leah had the choice to decide what she wanted to do; she wouldn't just have her world turned upside down without warning. Harry would be there to catch his daughter when she fell. There would be no self-blame for her father dying because she phased. Bella's earlier regret vanished. No, this was a better way.

"Dad said it was rare." Jacob spun on his heel again, hunkering down in front of Bella. He placed his hands on her thighs, parting her legs and pulling her forward so their faces were close. It was the most intimate they'd been. Bella felt Jacob's body heat subsume hers. He skimmed his nose along hers. Her breath hitched, catching in the back of her throat. "It won't happen to me. I know it won't."

This was her Jacob speaking. He had been so defiant. So confident that he could beat fate and make his own choices. But his choices had been taken away as soon as he turned wolf. "It's not rare, Jake." Bella whispered brokenly. "Sam and Emily, Jared and Kim. Even Quil. He imprinted on a child Jake. He imprinted on Emily's sister's child, Claire."

It was like a punch to the gut. Jacob groaned, his head falling to Bella's shoulder. He hid his face in the crook of her neck, breathing her in. Bella hesitated for a moment before she gently brushed her fingers through his hair, sliding them down the back of his neck, and then repeating the motion again. He was still kneeling between her parted thighs. She could feel his warm breath ghosting across her skin.

"Now Sam knows, he can avoid Emily." Jacob said thickly against her neck. "We'll tell Jared. It's up to him what he does about Kim. As for Quil we'll make sure that Emily and her damn family stay off the res."

"Perhaps for a while, but not forever." Bella continued to stroke his head.

"Sam's strong enough. He'll fight for Leah." Jacob continued. He was still ignorant about Emily's fate, and how hard it had been for Sam to stay away after the imprint had occurred.

Bella was forced to tell him. She pressed his face to her throat as she finished the story. "Emily could have died. He lost control, just for a split second. That was all it took."

"Then how is imprinting supposed to be a good thing." Jacob stated incredulously. He gently disentangled himself from Bella's embrace. He gazed at her earnestly, cupping her face in his hands again. "Do you remember when you asked me to trust you?" Bella nodded. "I'm asking you to do the same for me. I'm not this other Jacob. I'm me. You said yourself things are different here already. It's changing. Having prior knowledge is helping us. The Jacob from your other world chose to avoid his birth right. He shrugged off his responsibilities. I'm not. I'm going to embrace it. I'm the leader of this pack. I decide what happens, not fate, not the spirits, nobody. My brothers are the same. If I'm in control then maybe the order of things will change naturally. Sam won't have the demons that haunted his counterpart in the world you knew. Perhaps that on its own could make all the difference."

Bella didn't know what to think. It was a huge gamble, to risk fate taking its course on the premise that this one thing could change an outcome for the whole pack. But it made so much sense. Would there be a place for Emily in Sam's life if he wasn't forced to take the Alpha role because Jacob refused to be. Emily was the homemaker; she presided over the Uley house which was like a refuge for the pack. She cooked, cleaned and took care of them. It was who she was, something that Leah Clearwater most definitely wasn't. Would this one simple change, Jacob taking up his birth right, nullify the imprint? Leah and Sam would be free to be together. Would the imprint move to Jacob instead? His partner in life would need to be all those things and more. This meant that Jacob was more likely to imprint then not. What it meant for the others Bella couldn't guess. For her she knew it was one more step to losing Jacob in the long run to another. The thought terrified her.

"Do you trust me?" Jacob asked again, breaking her out of her thoughts.

Bella knew she couldn't be selfish. As much as she wanted to beg him to reconsider, she couldn't, not now. She had already been selfish enough. Her real life had taught her that. Bella began to believe she had gotten it all wrong. She wasn't here because of some higher purpose. She was here to set things on their natural path. The wolf charm was hanging on a thin leather strap around her neck. Bella reached out and touched her talisman. It calmed her fears but didn't banish her unhappiness. "Yes, I trust you." She promised Jacob. "I trust that you will make things right."

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	14. Chapter 14

**Back to the Beginning**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews. I really appreciate all your feedback.**_

 **Part Thirteen**

Bella was lying on Jacob's bed. She wasn't feeling well at all. It had been difficult having to talk about imprinting. But Jacob's resolution on a way forward had helped ease her burden. There was still so much more to say, she hadn't even touched on the harrowing secrets she was keeping close to her chest. But right now she needed to rest. Her adrenaline surge had deserted her. Jacob was in the front room with Billy and Sam. Despite his anger toward his father, Jacob was trying to be pragmatic. The impact was going to be huge on the pack when the others got wind of it. Jacob wanted to douse the fires of panic before they started. He was so certain that stepping up as leader was enough to change things. Bella hoped that it was true.

There was a soft knock on the door. Bella sighed. Her eyes had just begun to close. She was so desperate for sleep. She sat up and curled her legs underneath her, waiting. "Come in."

To her surprise Leah Clearwater ventured into the room. This wasn't the fiery she-wolf that Bella knew so well. No, there was an aura of defeat around this girl. She looked scared and wasn't hiding it. "Can we talk?" She asked Bella.

"Yes." Bella agreed warily. She made room on the bed for Leah to sit down.

Leah perched on the end of the bed, beautiful face pensive. Her fingers pawed at the denim on her jeans restlessly. "I have to tell you something."

"What?" Bella whispered. Her eyelids were drooping again as she fought her exhaustion. She blinked rapidly making her eyes water in the process.

Leah swallowed thickly as her gaze darted to Bella. "I was so angry at you."

"I know." Bella replied faintly. "I don't blame you."

"It's not that." Leah interrupted. "I saw red. You looked so terrified of me. Then you fell to the floor and had some kind of seizure. It was awful. I thought you were gonna foam at the mouth or something."

Bella was horrified to hear this. She stared at Leah, panic rising in her throat. "Then what happened?" She dared to ask.

Leah's face had paled. She dragged her nails along the material of her jeans, seemingly unaware of what she was doing. "I was so angry. I couldn't think straight. It felt like my skin was on fire, I felt my whole body vibrating. Then you collapsed." Leah closed her eyes for a second as she tried to eject the terrifying memory from her mind. "You were fitting, literally jerking all over the place. I was so shocked it took a moment for me to respond. Then I knelt down and tried to put you in the recovery position. I was scared you couldn't breathe. But when I touched you…." Leah paused again, looking stricken. "My hands, they went right through you." She stared at her hands as if they didn't belong to her. "You were fading right before my eyes. But I could also see…"

"What?" Bella raised her fingers to her throat, already guessing what Leah was going to say.

"There was a red headed woman bending over you. She had her hands wrapped around your throat trying to choke you. I cried out, and she jerked her head upright. She was like a ghost. She had the reddest, most evil eyes I've ever seen. She saw me, Bella. She saw me." Leah was becoming incoherent now as she tried to contain her own rising panic. "Then Jacob and Sam came running in and she was gone. What the hell is going on? Am I mad?"

"No." Bella felt tears begin to trickle down her cheeks. "You're not. It was Victoria. My reality must have slipped into this one."

"I don't understand." Leah faltered. "Who's Victoria?"

Bella shifted forward and clutched at Leah like a woman drowning. "I'm so sorry." She was full of anguish. It felt like the noose was tightening around her neck. The sands of time were trickling through the hourglass and she couldn't slow them down. Bella had only a vague notion of how Leah might have been able to see through the veil of both time zones. She had been on the verge of shifting. Perhaps, as her body was in flux, this had allowed her to see beyond her own existence. "There's something I have to tell you. Please don't get upset." Bella pleaded with Leah.

"Who's Victoria?" Leah demanded. She was on the verge of hysteria herself. She shook Bella like a rag doll.

"Victoria is a vampire and she's trying to kill me." Bella sobbed.

* * *

When Jacob came to check on Bella he was surprised to see her huddled on his bed with Leah. Their expressions mirrored each other. They were both fraught. It had been a tense meeting with his father and Sam. Strong words had been exchanged on both sides. It had taken all of Jacob's control to smooth the waters between the chief of the tribe and the beta of the wolf pack. That was who Sam was now, his second in command. Jacob had accepted his destiny with no argument from Sam. The timing felt right. After he had explained his theory about how accepting his position of Alpha could hopefully set things on their natural path, Sam's relief was palpable, as was Billy's. His father tried to apologise, but emotions were still too raw for forgiveness just yet. Once again they had all decided to separate for another cooling off period before things got too heated.

Jacob watched as Leah let go of Bella. Both girls seemed shell shocked and utterly exhausted. "Sam's looking for you." He told Leah. "He wants to talk."

"I don't think I'm ready." Leah sought Bella's gaze. The two girls looked at each other for a long moment, before Leah sighed, breaking the intense stare. "I'm going to head home. I need to clear my head."

"Is that a good idea?" Bella asked desperately.

"Nothing can hurt me more than I'm hurting already. I have good genes, remember." Leah said tartly. She looked at Bella meaningfully. To Jacob it seemed as if they were communicating with each other silently. It was so bizarre. "You owe me time before anyone else knows." Leah ended quietly.

"Okay." Bella agreed reluctantly. Leah barely acknowledged Jacob. She brushed past him as if he didn't exist.

"What was that about?" Jacob asked curiously.

"I can't tell you. Not yet." Bella hung her head. Her long air fell around her face, hiding her expression. She wasn't going to lie to Jacob, but she owed Leah some time. Telling the other girl that sometime soon she was going to turn wolf herself was harrowing to hear, let alone say, especially on top of all the other shocking revelations. It surprised Bella how easily Leah believed her. But then Leah had seen Victoria. Bella wasn't sure that the news had really sunk in for the she wolf. No wonder she wasn't ready to face Sam. "It has to come from Leah."

"Okay." Jacob decided not to push. He cupped her chin in his warm hand and raised her head. He hated not being able to see her beautiful face. When he did he was saddened by the sheer torment he saw reflected in her brown eyes. She looked so frail and wan. "I am so worried about you." He said huskily. "I had hoped you'd be resting."

"I can't sleep. I am so afraid." Bella replied brokenly. She couldn't stem the flow of tears.

"Would it help if I was with you?" Jacob asked. He let go of her chin and caressed her cheek instead.

"Yes please." Jacob had always been her greatest source of comfort. His solid presence had always banished the dark in the past. There was a reason she called him her sun.

"C'mere." Jacob rolled onto his back, pulling Bella with him. She snuggled against his side, resting her head on his chest. Jacob put his arms around her, tugging her closer. "Sleep, Bells." He said softly. He watched as she finally gave into her exhaustion and closed her eyes. Within seconds she was fast asleep.

* * *

Bella slept for eight hours. Jacob stayed awake, watching her sleep, guarding her from the nightmares which plagued her. Her chest rose and fell as she breathed. Her long lashes cast shadows on her cheeks. He felt her silky hair tickle his skin as she nestled against him. She was so tiny, but so perfect. She fit in his embrace, as if she had always belonged there. For those few hours it was like time was suspended. It gave Jacob time to think, to ponder how much his life had changed in such a short time. He had gone from a semi-carefree teenager (his life even then had been full of responsibilities), to a shape shifting wolf seemingly overnight. His burden was heavier than ever now. He wasn't just taking care of himself and Billy anymore. He had his brother's welfare resting on his shoulders, the whole reservation and the surrounding areas were his to protect, as was the beauty lying in his arms now. Jacob pressed a gentle kiss on top of Bella's hair. She was so deeply asleep she didn't stir. Jacob felt his own eyes closing, and before he realised he fell into a light doze.

* * *

Jacob awoke with a start, unsure of where he was until he realised that Bella slept curled against him, her head pillowed on his chest. He smiled and breathed deeply. He could get used to this, waking up beside her. She mumbled something, her lips moving against his hot skin, her breath tickled him. She was so soft, so delicate, and so damn tiny. Bella's skin was so pale, translucent in contrast to his; she seemed to glow in the soft evening light shining through the partially opened curtains. Her hair fanned out across his torso like a dark curtain of silk. She really was so beautiful. She had no idea.

He wondered how deep her relationship with this other Jacob ran. She only let slip a few vague details. Jacob knew it was stupid but he suddenly felt a burning jealousy toward his other self. It wasn't rational, but he couldn't shake it. Bella was his, they belonged together. It felt so right. They fit. He loved her so much. As he watched, Bella began to stir. She breathed deeply and rubbed her face against his chest absently, before she opened her eyes. "You are here." She said after a moment, voice low, uncertain. "I thought it might be some wonderful dream, especially after all the nightmares…." She began to cry softly.

"Oh, Bells." Jacob kissed the top of her head; all the while his fingers stroked her cheek.

"I'm sorry." Bella apologised.

"Hush." Jacob quietened her. He felt Bella's fingers brush his side unconsciously. Her touch, so gentle, made him shiver with suppressed desire. Bella raised her eyes to his. She gazed at him, eyes lambent, questioning. She hesitated a few seconds before she moved her hand further down. Jacob breathed deeply, trying to contain himself. This was different, new. He waited. Bella shifted, rising upward. Her other hand was splayed against his chest. His heart was racing, loud even to his ears. He wondered if she could hear it too. "It's beating for you." He found himself saying.

"I know." Bella looked deep into his eyes, her own searching, needing something. She couldn't even define the chaotic thoughts resounding in her head. "You mean the world to me. You know that, don't you?"

"I know." Jacob wanted to tell her the deepest secrets of his heart. He had to bite his tongue to stop himself revealing his feelings. He tried to read her. There were so many conflicting emotions crossing her face. He waited, not realising he was actually holding his breath. "Bells." He whispered her name.

Bella continued to gaze at him. Her lips parted and she licked them. Jacob was captivated. His hands spanned her waist, slipping further down until they reached the curve of her butt. She didn't protest or react at this intimate gesture. She just continued to look at him. "Bella." He whispered again.

Speaking her name seemed to jolt Bella to life. She glanced down, her gaze travelling to where his hands were still resting firmly on her lower back. Her breath hitched in the back of her throat. There was a slight hesitation, and then she shifted again. To Jacob's surprise she straddled him. He gasped, staring up at her, uncertain. "You make me feel alive." She confessed quietly. She leaned against Jacob, placing her hands on his chest.

Jacob touched her hands, pressing them harder into his skin, before sliding his fingers up her arms and squeezing her shoulders. "Bells, I l…."

Bella stopped his words as she touched his mouth. She traced the curve of his lips with gentle fingers. "There is so much to say. Jake, I…."

The door was thrust open. Bella gasped, crawling off of Jacob and scooting to the end of the bed. Jacob sat up, cursing under his breath. It was Embry. "Don't you know how to fucking knock." He snapped at his friend.

Embry didn't even react. His knowing gaze flicked between them. "We've got another one." He said directly to Jacob. "Seth has just phased."

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	15. Chapter 15

**Back to the Beginning**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thanks for the kind reviews!**_

 **Part Fourteen**

Bella stayed with Billy while Jacob left to deal with the Seth problem. She didn't know what to say to Jacob's father at first. The atmosphere was tense. Bella was still reeling from her brief romantic encounter with his son, and every time she made eye contact with Billy her traitorous skin would flush a dull red as she thought about Jacob's warm hands touching her body. If it hadn't been for Embry's sudden interruption there was no telling how far things could have gone.

"Can we talk, Bella?" Billy's husky tones pulled her out of her introspection. He was gazing at her uneasily.

"Yes, of course." Bella wondered if he had been trying to get her attention for a while and she just hadn't heard him.

"Did you know that Seth was going to phase?" Billy asked abruptly.

This unexpected question surprised Bella. After the fallout from forcing him to talk about the imprinting issue was he really asking whether she knew Seth was going to phase? Bella sensed his mistrust. This hurt, especially as she thought she had been making headway with Billy. "I did know." She admitted eventually. "But not when, things are different here."

"Here?" Billy's brow furrowed. "What exactly do you mean by that?"

Bella sighed, frustrated by the fact that she was being forced to try and explain something she didn't really understand for the hundredth time. "It's hard to describe. I've lived through these things before."

"So you say." Billy said sceptically.

"It's true." Bella insisted. "I thought you believed me."

"Or maybe you've got your information from the Cullen's. I know that one of them is a seer."

Bella shook her head in disbelief. She didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Billy was resentful of her, which was clear. He was regretting his earlier support and hiding behind the elder, Jeremiah's, accusations that she was somehow collaborating with the vampires. It was because she had caused friction between him and his son over imprinting. "If you're referring to Alice, then you're so wrong. She can't see the wolves."

"What?" This news had shocked him. "How do you know this?"

"I've lived this before." Bella replied tiredly. "I've told you this over and over. You have to believe me. The order in which things are happening is different. I think that my actions have changed things. I can't explain it better than that." Bella tried to lower her voice; she knew she was beginning to sound hysterical. "I know you're angry with me, Billy. But I've had to witness the aftermath of all these secrets that Jacob and his pack have had to keep. I've seen the toll it's taken on them and their families. I couldn't bear to sit back and watch it all unfold the same way. Already I've seen the changes, especially in Jacob. I don't regret my decision about that."

Billy was silent for a moment. He rubbed his hand over his face tiredly. "I'm not angry with you, Bella." He said wearily. "I just don't want to lose my boy."

"You'll never lose Jacob." Bella assured the older man. "No matter how tense things get, Jake loves you. I can promise you that."

Billy's dark eyes glistened as he nodded slowly. "I'm sorry, Bella. I can be a foolish old man at times."

Bella could see that Billy was embarrassed at his emotional display. She decided to give him some space. "Why don't I make something to eat?" She suggested. "I know when Jake comes back he'll be starving."

"Thank you." Billy smiled weakly. It eased the worry lines in his face. Bella returned his smile before heading into the kitchen to give the older man the space he needed.

* * *

It was instinctual on her part. Bella knew that the pack thrived on food. It was like fuel to them, switching between forms used up a lot of energy reserves. That was why the wolves had such gargantuan appetites. How many times in the past had she helped Emily prepare food for the pack? Of course this was all before Edward had come back and her visits to the reservation had lessened. She used to love the gatherings at the Uley's. It felt like being part of a huge rowdy family. The guys would sit around the long wooden table in the Uley's kitchen. They would play fight and scuffle over the food, while sharing teasing banter. Occasionally a more serious fight would break out, usually started by Paul Lahote, but one Alpha command from Sam would restore order instantly. Bella missed those times. It saddened her that she had allowed Edward to manipulate her to the extent that she had avoided spending time with the pack at all. Why had she allowed it?

Regrets consumed her as she floated around the Black's kitchen with ease. She emptied the cupboards and began to formulate ideas in her head about what she could make. Bella had always had the knack of putting random things together and creating something out of nothing. In the end she decided to make a chicken stew and a vegetable lasagne. She had always found cooking calming. It distracted her busy mind from her troubles and made her focus. She concentrated on the task at hand, and soon her anxieties and regrets began to fade. Billy eventually joined her. They worked side by side in comfortable silence, the tension was gone now. Billy cut up the vegetables for the lasagne while Bella prepped the chicken.

She didn't even realise it, but she wasn't cooking just for Jacob and Billy, but for the others too. An innate sixth sense prodded her subconscious, leading her to automatically prepare much more then she intended. Billy noticed but didn't comment on it. He carried on helping Bella, glad that he had something to do to take his mind off his own troubles.

* * *

Jacob did indeed return with his whole pack. Seth, after his initial shock and surprise, had calmed down easily. Whether it was because of his young age or just Seth himself, the young shifter had taken to his new form with surprising ease. In fact he was quite proud of himself when he managed to control his limbs. At first he had been like a newborn foal, struggling to rise on his gangly legs. But after a lot of teasing from Paul, and more helpful advice from the others, he eventually managed to get used to his new body. Phasing back had been an effort, but he mastered it eventually.

The delicious aroma floating from the Black's house made all the wolves mouths water. There was a scuffle as they all fought to be the first inside the house. Jacob had just rolled his eyes at his brothers. He cuffed Paul around the back of the head, yanking him to the back of the queue, before entering the house first. The others followed behind, Paul slinking in at the rear. Bella was just checking the stew. She had a ladle in her hand, gingerly tasting it to see if it was ready. She definitely wasn't prepared for the kitchen to be suddenly overrun by the wolves. They swarmed around her like vultures. The ladle was snatched from her hand by Jared. He breathed in the tantalising smell before shoving the ladle in his opened mouth.

"Fuck." He soon dropped it as the hot stew burned his tongue.

This curse was greeted by loud laughter. Embry thoughtfully filled a glass with cold water and passed it to Jared, who gratefully chugged the lot down in one go. Paul, who'd grabbed a plate, was already filling it up with the strew straight from the pan. He tore off a chunk of bread and dipped it in the stew. He made sure to blow on it, cooling the food, before he shoved it in his mouth, grinning. "That's how it's done." He said with his mouth full.

Bella was getting irritated. Jacob was leaning against the kitchen counter beside her, smiling indulgently at his brothers. Seth had snatched an apple and was taking huge bites out of it; he dared to dip his finger in the stew, ready to lick the juices off his finger. Bella had enough. She grabbed the ladle and rapped the back of his hand. She ignored his cry of pain. She hadn't hit that hard. "OUT." She ordered them.

"Huh?" The guys were taken aback at this bold display from Bella. Normally she was so timid. They quietened down and looked at each other.

"This isn't a free for all. I've spent hours slaving over this stove. You may be wolves out there, but in here I expect you to act civilised." Bella snapped. She glared around at them all, before her eyes eventually landed on Jacob. He gazed back at her, trying to hide his amused smile. Behind him she heard Billy chuckle. Bella was waving the ladle about dangerously again. "Don't you laugh at me, Jacob Black?" She warned him. "You're gonna be helping me serve."

Jacob's amusement faded. "But I'm the Alpha." He protested, aggrieved.

"Not in here you're not. This is your house. You're the host." Bella retorted playfully. Jacob's brothers snorted with laughter at his bemused expression. Bella hadn't had this much fun in ages. The lightened atmosphere was infectious. The pack bounded off to fight for their place at the table while Jacob reluctantly helped Bella dish up the food.

* * *

A small bonfire, surrounded by a circle of stones, was lit outside the little redwood house. It was late evening. Bella had called Charlie at work and told him that she was staying at the Black's overnight. If he was surprised, he didn't show it. In fact she thought he sounded relieved she wouldn't be spending the night alone. Charlie had been trying so hard to make some more time for her, but it was his turn to cover the night shift. Harry had arrived. He'd been at work when Seth had phased so hadn't known until Billy had called to inform him. He was very upset. The first thing he did was check Seth all over for injuries. He nearly wept with relief when he saw that his young son seemed no worse for the experience. He hugged Seth fiercely, earning the young shifter some more teasing from his brother's. But Seth wasn't embarrassed. He didn't care. He was having fun. At this stage he still didn't realise the full import of what his new role entailed. Jacob had decided there was enough time for that later. As far as he was concerned, Seth would not be on the front line, he was too young and inexperienced.

In the end it had been something small that had stoked the fires within Seth to transform. He had been feeling out of sorts for days, unusually tetchy and irritable. It had never occurred to Harry that his son would change. He was so young, barely thirteen. He thought Seth just had a head cold. It had been a scolding from Sue about the state of his room which had set Seth off. The young shifter had snapped at his mother before running off outside. He had instinctively headed for the trees. It was lucky that he had, otherwise the consequences could have been severe.

Bella was full of regret that she hadn't warned Harry that his son would phase so young. Events had superseded her. She had been so caught up with Leah and all her other problems. She huddled next to Jacob in front of the bonfire, avoiding Harry's stern gaze. She just didn't know what to say to Seth's father. How could she explain such a lapse in judgement? She had already done it once with Embry. She was angry at herself. Bella wallowed in her guilt as she listened absently to Billy weave his magical tales at the head of the fire. Slowly, her eyes began to droop as tiredness washed over her. Soon she fell into a troubled doze, nestled against Jacob's warm body.

* * *

She was choking. Bella woke, gasping. Something was holding her down. She began to fight. She wasn't going to let Victoria kill her. She wanted to live so badly. She lashed out, but warm fingers clamped around her wrists, stilling her. "It's me. It's Jake."

Bella fought for breath. Her chest rose and fell as she stared up into Jacob's worried face. He was hovering above her. Bella's eyes roamed his handsome face, his dark eyes, like melting chocolate, were full of concern. He was so beautiful. Bella felt tears pool in her eyes. She had been so afraid, but he was here, protecting her, like always. She reached up and cupped his cheek in her hand, gliding her fingers over his tan skin. His eyes closed briefly at her gentle touch. Bella continued to touch his face, exploring. She trailed her fingers across his full lips, before raising her fingers to his brows, following the curves and then running them down the bridge of his nose. "You are so beautiful."

"No, that's you." Jacob exhaled slowly, his voice thick.

The remnants of Bella's nightmare still haunted her. She could hear Victoria's feral snarl, feel her cold fingers grasping at her throat. "Tick tock. Tick tock." Time was running out. She was dying. Victoria was going to kill her and she would lose everything. She would lose this, Jacob, the life she was building here. She wanted to stay; Bella craved it so badly that it hurt. Words bubbled in her throat. Words she had been afraid to say up until now. "I love you, Jacob. I love you."

Jacob's mouth crushed hers. Bella gasped, her fingers grabbing the back of his neck. Jacob kissed her, using his tongue to part her lips. His taste exploded in her mouth. Bella moaned in the back of her throat at the contact. Fire shot through her core. Jacob deepened the kiss, exploring her mouth, running his fingers though her hair. Bella's nails dug into his skin, tugging him closer. They continued to kiss fiercely, lips burning, hands exploring, clutching and claiming. Jacob caught Bella's left hand, he placed it on his hard chest, pressing her fingers into his hot skin. She felt his heart pumping madly under the palm of her hand. "It's beating for you. I love you, Bella."

"Jake." Bella moaned.

They began to scramble out of their clothes. Jacob shrugged off his shorts. He was naked underneath. Bella gazed at him, her eyes drinking him in. She looked at his taut muscles, vibrating under his skin. Her eyes travelled upwards to his beloved face. They both paused, breathing heavily. "If you don't want to…" Jacob checked.

Bella began to unbutton her shirt with shaking fingers. "I want to." She assured him. "I definitely want to."

* * *

Jacob rolled onto his back. Bella straddled him. She ran her hand down Jacob's side, her touch gentle and firm. "You're not cold." She whispered.

"No, I'm not cold." Jacob murmured.

Bella's hand shifted farther down, and Jacob inhaled sharply when she touched his hardness, her fingers exploring, touching him, sending him to heights of pleasure he had never imagined in his wildest dreams. He fought to stay still. The pleasure was almost too much to bear. Then suddenly Bella shifted, feeling a sudden boldness. She raised her hips, and then lowered herself down, taking him in slowly, closing tightly around him. She let out a small gasp as a sharp pain shot through her. Jacob gazed into her face worriedly, but Bella smiled, assuring him that it was easing. She leaned against him, placing her hands on his chest, and raised her hips, rising and falling slowly on top of him.

Jacob touched her hands, pressing them harder into his chest before sliding them up her arms and squeezing her shoulders, massaging them. Bella tilted her head back and emitted a soft sigh. Jacob swept his hands down her back, unable to resist grabbing her fine ass. Bella smiled, still swaying above him. His hands travelled over her thighs, then up her belly to her breasts. Jacob pressed her nipples, circling them with gentle fingers, watching in fascination as they hardened under his touch.

Bella's movements slowed. "This is what love feels like." She breathed.

Jacob smiled in response. "This is what heaven feels like. I love you, Bella. I feel like I've loved you forever."

Bella began to move again, increasing her pace. The friction between their joined bodies increased. Jacob grabbed her hips, guiding her, helping to speed up their movements. Bella began to rock harder and faster on top of him, the pressure building up inside, begging for release. Jacob struggled to hold himself back, even as Bella urged him on. This was all so new to both of them, but felt so right. Jacob thrust deeper, as Bella squeezed tighter, until Jacob couldn't contain himself any longer. Bella swayed, her hips rotating against his one last time. Her orgasm ripped through her body making her cry out. She felt Jacob ease out of her as he found his own release.

Bella fell against him, her core still pulsing with pleasure. She had never felt anything like this in her life, and never wanted to lose it. She felt Jacob's fingers stroke her hair as she snuggled her face in the crook of his neck, seeking his warmth. "I love you, Bells." She heard him say before she drifted into peaceful slumber.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	16. Chapter 16

**Back to the Beginning**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Part Fifteen**

Bella slept soundly all night. The nightmares which had been plaguing her dreams were strangely absent. She lay still in Jacob's arms; her head snuggled in the crook of his neck. Just breathing him in was soothing. The heat from his body meant she was toasty warm. There was no need for any covers. Jacob had made sure to wedge a chair under his door in case any of his pack brothers forgot to knock again. He didn't want to be disturbed. He was the first to stir as the early morning light hit his closed eyelids. He yawned, waking up slowly, stretching. His movement roused Bella. She mumbled his name before rolling onto her back. She was still completely naked, not bothering to clothe herself after the previous night's exertions. Jacob couldn't help but admire her lithe form. Bella felt suddenly shy under his scrutiny. She sat upright, drawing her knees up to her chest.

"Are you okay?" Jacob asked. It worried him that she was suddenly nervous in front of him. Was she regretting what had happened between them? He touched her lower back with gentle fingers.

"I'm fine." Bella smiled, blushing. "I just feel…." She shrugged, biting down on her lower lip. She couldn't explain it. Jacob was the only male to ever see her naked. It was broad daylight, she was anxious she didn't measure up to his ideal of her.

"It's okay, honey. It's just me, you know." Jacob gave her one of his sunny smiles. The one he reserved just for her. He leaned forward, kissing her lightly on the mouth, careful not to spook her too much.

"I know." Bella giggled nervously. "It's stupid. You've already seen me. I don't know why I feel so shy." She shrugged again.

"It's natural." Jacob kissed her again. He was relieved that was all it was. Shyness he could deal with. Regret would have killed him.

There was soft knock on the door interrupting their conversation. Jacob growled irritably. "Who is it?"

"Your dad." Billy responded testily. "Leah is here to see Bella. And you and I are due at a council meeting if you hadn't forgotten."

Bella was already scrambling to get dressed. She hunted around for her underwear. Where was it? Jacob's floor was covered in a sea of clothes and car magazines. She gave up and just pulled on her jeans and t-shirt. She was going to have to go commando. She blushed again as she thought about their energetic lovemaking the night before. She still couldn't believe it had happened. Last night had been so special. Finally admitting her deepest desires and her love for _this_ Jacob was freeing. Bella had dated Edward for months; they had never gone further than chaste kisses and occasional hand holding. _But with Jacob_ ….Bella felt her skin burn again. She looked over at him. He gave her the sweetest smile. It made her heart melt. This relationship she had formed with him was so different than with the Jacob in her reality. Bella's good mood vanished as she thought about the boy who loved her in her real timeline. What did this mean for them? It was so confusing. In a way she felt like she had betrayed him, even though they hadn't officially been together. But they had kissed on the mountaintop before Victoria's attack. She saw Jacob's smile fade as he watched the conflicting emotions on her face. But before they could converse further, Billy was demanding that they hurry up again.

* * *

While Jacob drove his father to the meeting with the elders, Bella stayed behind with Leah. She hadn't expected to see the other girl so soon. She had been absent the night before. Bella wondered what Leah knew about her brother. Harry wouldn't talk to her. He had just thrown her dark looks every now and then. It was clear he didn't trust her and was upset that she hadn't warned him about Seth's phasing. Bella wondered whether his daughter was feeling the same. Bella had told Leah about her own future, but had left Seth's phasing out of it purposely. She thought that the she-wolf had enough to cope with.

"Are you mad at me?" Bella asked cautiously when Leah remained silent.

"Why didn't you mention Seth?" Leah threw the question back at Bella instead.

"I thought you were under enough pressure."

"You could have told my dad." Leah persisted.

"Harry doesn't trust me." Bella sighed. She was getting tired of fighting her corner.

"Still…." Leah's voice tailed off. She frowned, picking at a loose thread on the sleeve of her shirt. "Emily's at my house." She revealed suddenly. She darted a glance at Bella, waiting for her to react.

"I thought you told her to leave." Bella was astonished.

"I tried to, but mom overruled me." Leah hung her head. "I can't even fucking look at Emily. She keeps asking me what's wrong and all I want to do is slap her."

"It's not her fault." Bella tried to defend Emily but Leah wasn't listening. She was trembling again, obviously very angry and worked up. The last thing Bella wanted was for the she-wolf to phase in the house. She was sure that Leah's transformation was imminent. "We should go for a walk." She suggested instead.

Leah glanced at her again. "Alright." She agreed reluctantly. She didn't wait for Bella but just marched out of the house. Bella hurried after her, grabbing her coat as she did so. It was cold outside. Leah may not feel it, but she certainly did.

* * *

Bella didn't take much notice of where they were going. She was having trouble just keeping up with the older girl. She was breathless as she tried to match Leah's longer strides. They entered the forest surrounding the Black's. It was raining lightly and there was a fine mist in the air. Leah said that they would find shelter under the trees. It was dark in the woods. For Bella it was an all too familiar reminder of the time Edward had abandoned her when they had gone on a similar trek through the forest. She tried to swallow down her fears as she stumbled by Leah's side. She kept jumping at any little noise. The cry of a bird overhead startled her. The sound of an animal rustling through the undergrowth made her heart race. Leah seemed totally unaware of her surroundings. She was lost in her own misery.

After an hour of frantic walking the two girls broke out of the trees into a clearing. The sudden light from above made Bella squint, she wasn't expecting it. She blinked rapidly, trying to get her eyes used to the change. They were in some kind of meadow. Fine grass blew in the gentle breeze. Wildflowers of all colors were scattered amongst the green foliage like a rainbow carpet. It was beautiful and all too familiar. Bella gasped. Her chest became tight as she stared around. Now that she could see it was obvious where this was. It was Edward's meadow. The place he used to take her when they wanted to be alone and enjoy the beauty of the landscape. Bella felt sick. In her minds eyes she could picture Edward lying amongst the flowers, she was beside him. They would lay there in silence, just gazing into each other's eyes.

"We need to leave."

"Why?" Leah asked disinterestedly. She was still wallowing.

"It's not safe here." Bella felt the tightness in her chest increase. It was like a vice was squeezing her heart.

"There's nothing here." Leah's eyes roamed around, searching.

"It's not safe. We need to go." Bella begged again. Her arms wound around her waist as she tried to hold herself together.

"I want to stay." Leah said stubbornly. She sat down and made herself comfortable on the soft grass.

"It isn't safe." Bella let go of her waist and tried to grab Leah's hand. "We need to go. Come on. You have to trust me."

"I don't trust anyone anymore." Leah retorted bitterly. "I mean my dad has lied to me. At some point Sam will betray me. So will Emily."

"Stop feeling sorry for yourself and com…." There was a snap of a twig. It was too late. She saw Leah's dark eyes widen. Her nostrils flared.

" _Ah, Bella, I was not expecting to find you here."_

Bella's frightened gaze met Laurent's curious one. She was doomed.

* * *

Laurent looked exactly the same as she remembered him. His ebony skin, the long dreads sweeping down his back. His red eyes were friendly, merely confused. He was asking about the Cullen's. Any moment now he would mention Victoria. Bella glanced at Leah. The other girl was trembling. Her dark eyes narrowed, her nostrils flaring.

Laurent finally turned his attention to Leah, cocking his head to one side. "And who is this beauty?" He inhaled sharply, smiling. But the smile soon faded as he got a whiff of Leah's scent. His red eyes glowed and he ducked down into a defensive posture, ready to attack. "I have smelt your kind before." He hissed. There was nothing friendly about him now.

"You need to get out of here." Bella warned him, hoping against hope that he would heed her and just go. Leah was on the verge of shifting. Bella glanced at her worriedly. Leah's body was vibrating violently.

"It seems you have changed sides. Victoria will not be pleased." Laurent muttered darkly.

"Please just get out of here." Bella cried desperately. She knew there would be no Jacob and his pack to save her from Laurent this time. They were at a meeting with the council of elders. She needed to call his bluff, scare him off. He had encountered the wolves before; his words had given him away. "There will be others."

Laurent's red eyes darted to Bella. He studied her carefully. "You're lying. I can smell your fear." He inhaled again deeply. "You smell so delicious. Victoria will be angry but I cannot resist."

"Don't." Bella pleaded.

"I promise it won't hurt. If you don't struggle it will be painless. This will be a much kinder death than what Victoria has in store for you." Laurent darted a glance at Leah, making certain that she wasn't going to attack. What he saw seemed to satisfy him. He relaxed, smiling widely.

Bella knew it was too late. She felt tears well in her eyes. So it came down to this. She was going to die at the hands of Laurent here, while Victoria squeezed the life out of her in her own reality. Was this the plan all along, for her to finally experience happiness, only for it to be torn away from her? Was this Victoria's twisted game to cruelly take away everything she had strived for? Leah let out a strangulated cry.

"She's close." Laurent seethed impatiently. "She is only one. I can easily deal with her." His reddened eyes then returned to Bella. He licked his lips in anticipation. "Then you and I my dear will get better acquainted." He laughed throatily at his own joke.

Bella watched Laurent duck down again and begin the dance that signalled he was going to attack. His whole attention was focused on Leah. The she wolf was trembling like a leaf, her eyes wide and staring. Bella couldn't bear it. She would not have Leah killed because of her stupidity. There was still time for Leah to get away. Bella braced herself. "I love you, Jake." She whispered, touching the wolf charm which still hung around her neck. The talisman gave her strength.

"LEAH RUN!" Bella screamed as she threw herself at Laurent and got in his way. Her body slammed into his, stealing the breath from her body. Bella recoiled, falling to the ground like a broken rag doll. She was seeing stars. Blackness clouded her vision. The last thing she saw was Laurent towering above her. She felt his cold hands grasping her neck. Her breath hitched as he began to squeeze her throat.

Then suddenly it wasn't Laurent trying to choke her but Victoria. Bella tried to scream but the red headed vampire's grip was too tight. Bella clawed at Victoria's hands, trying to ease the pressure on her windpipe, but it was useless. She was dying. It had all been for nothing. Victoria loomed above her, laughing maniacally. Then something caught her attention. Bella couldn't see what. The pressure on her throat eased and she was able to take in a shuddering breath. Her lungs were on fire. Bella tried to see what her nemesis was looking at, but she couldn't move her head.

"YOU!" Victoria snarled viciously at the unwanted interloper.

 _Bella's vision went black and she knew no more…_

* * *

Bella's eyelids fluttered open. She gazed upwards and found herself staring up into an azure blue sky. The occasional cloud scudded across the horizon. She took in a deep shuddering breath, and then coughed. Her throat was on fire. Bella raised her hand and gingerly touched her neck, it felt sore and bruised. She could feel pain. She wasn't dead. She jerked upright. The sudden shift in disposition made her dizzy. Bella touched her head, eyes blurring.

Then she heard sobbing.

 _Leah?_

Bella twisted around, fingers scrabbling in the dirt as she tried to steady herself. Her vision cleared. About a foot away Leah Clearwater lay curled up on the soft grass, naked. Her knees were drawn up to her chest as she tried to shield herself. Scattered around her were the remnants of her clothing and something else…

Nausea rose in Bella's throat as she stared at what was left of Laurent. The vampire's limbs were strewn around in a wide circle. The arms and legs were jerking. But it was the head that made Bella retch. Laurent's red eyes were wide and staring, his mouth was open in shocked surprise. It seemed his end had come without warning. Bella scrambled back, tearing her eyes away from his death mask. She returned her attention to a distraught Leah. The she wolf was still weeping. Her transformation had been as nightmarish in this one as it had in Bella's reality.

Bella crawled over to Leah, when she reached her she shrugged off her coat and draped it over the other girl. Leah shuddered violently. Bella felt her own face become wet with tears. She huddled down next to Leah and put her arms around her, cuddling her tightly. "I'm so sorry." Bella whispered brokenly as she stroked Leah's sweaty hair back from her face. "I am so, so sorry."

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	17. Chapter 17

**Back to the Beginning**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Part Sixteen**

Night fell. The two girls remained huddled together in the middle of the meadow. As soon as the sun set it took the remaining warmth with it. If it wasn't for Leah's supernatural warmth, hypothermia would have set in, especially in Bella's case. Right now the front side of her body was warm where she was pressed against Leah, but her back was frozen. Her coat was still covering the she wolf. Any attempts at trying to get Leah to move were fruitless. The older girl was catatonic, so traumatised by her sudden transformation and its aftermath, that she was deaf to Bella's pleas that they had to start heading for home. Bella couldn't leave Leah to get help, not while she was in that state, added to the fact that she had no idea in what direction home lay.

"Lee, please talk to me." Bella smoothed Leah's hair back from her face. There was no response. "We're not safe out here. We have to move." A chilly breeze washed over Bella, making her shudder with the cold. She pressed closer to Leah, trying to steal some of her warmth.

More time passed. Bella was now shaking so violently her teeth were chattering. She kept rotating her body, so that individual parts were constantly warmed. She had her back to Leah now. The she wolf's eye were closed. She still wasn't speaking. Bella had given up trying to get a response. She wasn't feeling well. Despite her best efforts the cold was infecting her body. She glanced up at the heavens. If it wasn't for her dire situation Bella would have enjoyed the view. It was beautiful. The night sky was like a blanket of diamonds as the stars twinkled above.

"Is this how it ends?" Bella said aloud. Angry tears glistened in her eyes. "What was the point? Tell me, why am I here if I'm just going to die anyway." She continued to rant, her voice getting louder and louder. She was beyond rationale. "I don't get it. Just end this now. I am sick of being tortured like this." Bella didn't even know who she was shouting at now. Was it Victoria, the spirits or God himself?

Then suddenly there were voices. Bella clamped her mouth shut, listening. Black shadows swarmed around her and Leah. She rolled onto her back, eyes wide with fear. There was a whine, followed by a low howl. Then out of the darkness stepped a familiar figure. "Bells." Jacob ducked down beside her. His handsome face was awash with relief. "It's okay. I've got you." His warm fingers caressed her cheek lovingly. He looked up and signalled with his hand. Bella now realised the shadowy forms were the wolf pack. She saw them retreat. Then, Jacob lifted her into his arms.

"Leah." Bella said weakly.

"It's alright, Sam's got her." Jacob assured her. He pressed his warm lips into her hair. "Let's get you home. You're freezing."

Bella hid her face against his chest. "I'm so sorry." She whispered.

"Just rest, Bells. We'll talk when we get home." Jacob hoisted Bella up further into his embrace, making sure to shield her from the worst of the chill with his hot body. Her skin was like ice. He signalled silently with his hand for the other wolves to go on ahead of him. Only he and Sam remained in their human forms as they carried their girl's home.

* * *

Bella was covered in blankets. She held a hot mug of coffee between her shaking hands. Leah was lying on the old couch beside her, curled up into a ball facing away from everybody. Sam was trying to talk to her, but Leah was refusing to engage. Her eyes were closed, jaw tight with tension. The Black's house was crowded. The wolf pack milled about restlessly. Seth was hovering near his sister, distraught. Jacob was talking in a low voice to Billy. Bella tried to drink some of her coffee but the hot liquid burned her throat. She coughed. Jacob was immediately by her side again. He caught the mug before it fell and eased it back into her grip.

"Are you okay?" His eyes roamed her beautiful face, anxiously. He had to force himself not to stare at the black bruises marking the skin around her neck. He could see the impressions of fingers. He felt sick. Anger bubbled in his throat. His gaze flicked to Leah. Jacob didn't know what to think. Leah had phased. She was one of them. She had saved Bella's life, but at a huge cost to herself. Sam was still by her side, pleading for her talk to him. He was shell shocked. They all were. In his hurried conversation with Billy it was clear that his father had no idea that this could happen to a female. It was unheard of. No one knew what to think. Billy had called Harry, he was on his way. He had only just returned home after the council meeting.

"Jacob, I'm sorry. " Bella saw him looking at Leah. She put her mug down. She couldn't stop her hands shaking.

"Stop apologising, Bells." Jacob touched her face. He caught a lock of her hair and tucked it behind her ear. "You did nothing wrong." His swallowed thickly as his graze drifted to Leah again. "I owe her. If she hadn't been with you when you were attacked by that rogue vampire…" He left the rest unsaid.

Bella's guilt was choking her. It hadn't been a rogue vampire. It was Laurent. History was repeating itself in the worst way. Somehow, when Laurent attacked, her two realities had merged. She had felt her body slipping between them. First it was Laurent who had been squeezing the life out of her, then Victoria. She hadn't seen Leah phase or the aftermath. She had woken up back in this timeline to find the other girl lying naked on the ground and Laurent torn to pieces. This was all her fault. She shouldn't have even gone into the forest. She'd been reckless not only with her life, but Leah's as well. Now Leah had suffered as a result of her thoughtlessness.

"I was so scared, honey." Jacob carried on talking when Bella remained silent. "The meeting went on longer than I thought. I got back here and found you were gone. I thought maybe you'd headed back to Forks, but the truck was still here. So I decided to track you. When I found you'd gone into the forest I got really worried. Sam was too. I called the pack together and we began to search for you." He closed his eyes for a second and breathed deeply. "When we came across the scent of that fucking vampire…" His fists clenched at the memory. "Why did you go into the woods?"

Bella felt her chest tighten. She glanced at Leah. The she wolf seemed to have fallen into a light doze. Her eyes were closed and she was breathing evenly. Sam was still hunkered down beside her, his gaze riveted on his girlfriend. Seth was sitting nearby, his young face full of distress. "It was my fault." Bella whispered to Jacob.

"You weren't to know about Leah or that there was a cold one lurking nearby." Jacob stroked her face again gently.

"But I did know." Bella confessed brokenly. She barely spoke above a whisper but all the wolves caught her words. Suddenly several pairs of accusing eyes bored into her. Sam emitted a low growl while Seth jumped to his feet.

Jacob was forced to issue an order to get his brothers to back off. He couldn't help the feeling of disappointment flooding through his soul. He hid it though; his pack needed their Alpha to look as if he was in control, even if he felt far from it. He was about to ask Bella more when the front door was shoved open and Harry appeared. He was out of breath, eyes wide with panic. As soon as he saw his daughter he hurried over to her, shoving Sam aside so he could take his place.

"Oh, Lee Lee." Harry cried as he pulled Leah into his arms and began to rock her. "My poor sweet girl."

Hearing her father's voice and feeling his arms around her finally brought Leah to life. "Daddy." She sobbed, sounding much younger than her years.

"I'm here, Lee Lee. I'm here." Harry whispered as he continued to rock her.

* * *

There was no hiding anything anymore; Bella was forced to tell the truth, about everything. She hadn't been deliberately hiding anything. She had told Jacob only days previously that she wanted things out in the open. But events had superseded her good intentions. The imprinting revelation had brought up such raw emotions that there had been little time for her to keep her side of the bargain. She had promised Leah time. It wasn't her place to tell anyone about the other girl's imminent phasing. Things had been happening so fast, Bella hadn't had a chance to catch her breath. Lack of sleep, whipping between this timeline and her true reality had fazed her. She didn't know what was going to happen next. Or even what order they might happen in. Already things had changed. Bella had been alone when she had encountered Laurent, but this time Leah was with her. Harry was alive. Not witnessing the horror of seeing his daughter phase had saved his life. The pack knew about imprinting now, they could prepare themselves for it. Jacob had accepted his destiny. This alone had a huge impact on the wellbeing of the pack. There were so many things that had happened for the good, but right now no one was thinking these things. They were all surrounding Bella with angry stares and harsh questions. Once again Jacob was forced to order them all to back off.

"You cannot order me. I am not part of your pack." Harry retorted heatedly. "I want to know why she didn't tell me about my daughter."

"I told her not to." Leah interjected tiredly. She was still curled up on the couch; a thick blanket was wrapped around her. She looked at a stricken Bella, before lowering her eyes.

"Lee Lee?" Harry questioned.

"I wanted time to absorb it myself. You can't be angry at her." Leah stared at her hands clasped in her lap. "I was the one who headed into the forest. I was the one who took us to that place. She didn't."

"Why didn't you talk to me?" Sam hunkered down beside Leah.

"I couldn't." Leah whispered. "I feel like I've already lost you."

"That's not true." Sam cried passionately. "We've talked about this."

Leah didn't respond. Instead she raised her head and directed her gaze toward Bella. "I saw her again." She admitted. "As I phased I saw Victoria and she saw me."

Bella gasped. "What?"

"What the hell is she talking about, Bells?" Jacob demanded in frustration. It was like the two girls were speaking a foreign language. He'd heard Bella mention the name Victoria before but hadn't pursued it.

"It was the same as before. When the vampire with the dreads attacked you, it was like your body was fading. I could see right through you. Then it wasn't him hurting you, it was that red headed bitch. I could feel my body transitioning, and she stared right at me. Then it all went to hell…" Tears pooled in her dark brown eyes. She couldn't continue.

Bella was crying now. Somehow she had pulled Leah into her mess. "I'm sorry, Leah." She replied hoarsely. "I'm sorry everyone. I wanted to make everything better. But it's not. I don't belong here. I don't even know why I'm here."

"Don't say that, Bells." Jacob interrupted her fiercely. Her words hurt. "Please just tell us what you know so we can understand. So I can understand." He begged her. He caught her hand and held it over his heart. "It beats for you." He reminded her. "I love you." He wasn't shy in expressing his devotion in front of the others. Suddenly it was if it was just the two of them in the room.

Bella concentrated her gaze solely on him. "I'm scared that some of what I might say is gonna hurt you." She confessed. "I don't want to cause you any pain. I don't."

"You won't." Jacob stated confidently. "I know you."

"But not who I used to be." Bella continued sadly.

"I know you." Jacob said again firmly. "Talk to me."

Bella looked at him for a long moment, drinking in his quiet beauty. He had so much faith in her. He was still her champion, despite any doubts he was trying to hide. She hated to be the one to destroy his ideal of her. But there was no choice now. Bella swallowed down her fears and nodded. "Okay, Jake." A sunny smile broke out on his face and Bella could have cried. He truly believed she was a much better person than she was. With her heart like lead in her chest, she began to talk.

* * *

Bella lay alone on Jacob's bed. He was gone. She felt exhausted, numb. In her head she relived the last few hours. It had been heartrending, having to explain to Jacob how she had betrayed him over and over, how she had rejected him for Edward, how she had rejected his pack for the Cullen's. How she had left him behind, even after he begged her to stay, to go off to Italy to save Edward from himself, that upon her return she had still rejected him, instead putting Edward and his family first, above him, above his pack, above her own father. It was awful watching her chip away at his unwavering faith in her, until eventually there was nothing left.

She was forced to relive the horrific attack by James, and then Victoria's subsequent pursuit of her. Describing the traumatising events in Italy after her capture by the Volturi was even worse. The horror and disgust on everyone's faces was clear to see. Only Leah showed any empathy. As Bella continued to spill her guts, the she-wolf was the one to hold her hand. Jacob had retreated to the far corner of the room. His face was grave, stern, stoic. It was the expression the Sam Uley in her reality used to wear to hide his true feelings from the world. It destroyed Bella seeing it on Jacob's face now. She had put it there. She had ruined everything she had built here. He must really detest her.

It was hard talking about Edward. The more she spoke about him, the harder it was to breathe. It was like seeing her past self through rose tinted glasses which had been smashed to pieces. Her every action, thought, word was analysed, ripped apart, sundered, until she was left raw and bleeding emotionally. Her relationship was shown up for the unhealthy, controlling thing it was. She had been like a puppet and Edward had pulled her strings. The worst part was she had allowed it. Her unwavering devotion toward him and their so called _love_ had blinded her to everything that was wrong about it.

Now Jacob, his pack, Billy, the elders, they knew everything. They had all the information. It was up to them to decide what to do with it. Bella no longer cared. She felt dead inside. She had lost the love of her life. She had finally let Jacob in and now the truth had pushed him away forever. All her promises not to hurt him had come to naught. She had hurt him in this world, just like she had done in hers. Maybe that was it. Perhaps this was another part of her punishment. To have her eyes finally opened and experience and feel true love, only to lose it. Would she wake up soon? Would she return permanently to her own time, to finally die at Victoria's hands? The clock was ticking. She could hear Victoria hissing _tick tock_ in her head.

"Bella."

"Jake." Bella whispered. She hadn't heard him come into the room. He had been gone for hours. He had left with his brothers with barely a word after she had finished her sorry tale. She hadn't expected to see him again. Billy and Harry were at the council chambers, locked in another meeting with the elders. Leah had returned home with her brother. She had even ruined that. The playful innocence about Seth had been shattered. Her story had well and truly opened his eyes to the darker side of life. He was now his sister's silent guardian. "Jake, I'm so sorry." Bella trembled as she tried to read him. She couldn't see him properly. He was standing across the room, his face hidden by shadows.

"I don't want you to apologise." Jacob said thickly.

"Jake, I…"

"Hush, Bella. Let me speak."

Bella hung her head. She wasn't his Bells anymore. She was just plain old Bella again.

"I had to go, to clear my head." Jacob continued. His voice was taut with emotion. "I had to think about what you said. Hearing you talk about Cullen and about me. It fucking hurt. Then I thought….she's not talking about me. I'm not that Jacob. I'm not him. You've never left me, or rejected me, or played me off against that cold son of a bitch, Cullen." Jacob drew closer. "You've been nothing but honest and open. You've been putting me and everyone I care about above yourself. You love me. I know you love me." Bella could see his face now. He didn't look angry or upset. He was calm, controlled. He sat down beside her on the bed. "You love _only_ me." His expression softened and he smiled.

Bella felt her heart beat fast in relief. He loved her, he had forgiven her. She hadn't lost him. "Yes, I love you, my Jacob. It was only ever you." She couldn't hold back the tears. She was suddenly in his arms, they were kissing. Bella's tears spilled onto his hot skin as she met each fierce kiss of his with one of her own. She felt his arms wrap around her as he held onto her tight. She never wanted him to let her go again.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading! I think that chapter just about killed me, LOL!**_


	18. Chapter 18

**Back to the Beginning**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews and for following this story!**_

 **Part Seventeen**

Jacob woke up to the sun in his eyes. He stretched his arms up above his head and yawned. Rolling onto his side he reached out, expecting Bella to be lying beside him, but her spot was empty. He experienced a few seconds of panic as he sat upright, his keen eyes searching for her. Jacob breathed a sigh of relief when he caught sight of her standing by her window. They were in her bedroom in Forks. Charlie had insisted she come home, not understanding why she needed to spend another night in La Push when she had school the next day. Jacob had to pretend to say goodbye to her the night before, but by the time the cruiser pulled into the driveway of the Swan house, he was already in Bella's room, waiting. There was no way he was going to leave her unprotected now he knew about Victoria.

"How long have you been awake?"

Bella appeared startled by his voice. She had been so lost in her own head. "Hey." She smiled at him pensively. "I've been awake since sunrise."

"You haven't been worrying have you?" Jacob asked as he joined her at the window. She had a sheet wrapped around her naked body, shielding her from the cold. It was chilly without his hot body beside hers. Jacob put a hand on her lower back and drew her closer to him. "I told you everything was cool between us."

"I know." Bella sighed, resting her head on his shoulder. They both turned to look out of her bedroom window. The sun was high; white clouds scudded across the azure blue sky, blown by a strong wind. "I was just thinking that's all."

"What about?" Jacob put his arm across her thin shoulders and pressed his warm lips into her hair.

"I'm going to drop out of school." Bella revealed.

This was unexpected. Jacob gazed at her curiously. "Why? Charlie will have a fit. I can protect you, honey, whether you're in school or not."

"I've done it all before, Jake. I don't want to repeat high school again. It seems so pointless. I'll tell dad I'll get my GED online or something just to appease him." Bella turned around in his embrace and pressed her cheek against his hot skin. She could hear his heart beating in his chest and the sound soothed her nerves. She wasn't telling him the whole truth. She had been up for hours fretting about how much time she had left in this time line. Any moment she could be sucked back into her own reality and she was scared. She didn't want to waste a minute doing pointless things like repeating the school year again. She wanted to spend as much time with Jacob and those she loved as much as possible.

"If that's what you want. I'm not gonna argue." Jacob smiled indulgently. "I support anything that means we get to spend more time together, especially doing this." He leaned down and began to pepper soft kisses along the nape of her neck.

Bella arched her neck to give him better access, closing her eyes. She reached up and cupped the back of his head with one hand. He was sucking on her skin gently. "You better not be giving me a hickey." She teased. "Dad will bust a blood vessel if he sees it."

Jacob laughed throatily. "I would love to see that."

Bella sank her fingers into his silky hair. "Uh huh." She was beyond coherent speech now. The sheet fell from her body as Jacob moved behind her, cupping her small breasts in his hands, caressing them. Bella moaned softly as she felt his hardness press against her lower back. She lost herself in his touch and her worries floated away.

* * *

Charlie was not happy. He tried to dissuade Bella from her plan. "I don't understand. You have good friends at Fork's High. You've got good grades. Why throw that all away?"

"I just don't want to go back." Bella insisted. They had been arguing back and forth for the last hour.

"Is it because of Edward Cullen?" Charlie asked for the hundredth time. "You can't let that ass stop you from continuing your education, Bells. He's not even here anymore."

"It's nothing to do with Edward." Bella felt a pain her chest. Talking about Edward Cullen again so soon after having to relive her relationship with him in front of Jacob and the others was brutal. Her emotions were still raw. "I just don't want to go back to school."

"There is something you're not telling me. Are you being hassled at school? If so, tell me who it is and I'll sort them out." Charlie continued heatedly. "I won't tolerate bullying."

"Dad, no one is bullying me. I just don't want to go back to school, end of." Bella stated firmly.

"What about college?" Charlie wasn't giving up. "You need good grades to get in…."

"I'm not going to college." Bella replied flatly.

"Bells…"

"Dad, please stop. I need you to respect my decision." Bella was tired of arguing. To her it was just wasting more time. And she'd done enough of that already.

* * *

Jacob was in yet another meeting with the elders. With prior knowledge of what they were all facing, a plan needed to be implemented. According to Bella, now that the vampire with the dreads had been annihilated, Victoria would be making her appearance shortly. They needed to be prepared. Already Jacob had stepped up the patrols. Old Quil had advised that his grandson was likely to phase any day now. Young Quill had been over excitable and tetchy for the last few days. When he did phase this would mean that the pack would be at full capacity, according to Bella.

"We need the girl to tell us when and where this cold one will strike." Jeremiah demanded, pounding his fist on the table. "The information she has given us is too vague. It's bad enough that she took so long to tell us the truth in the first place."

The old man's accusation riled Jacob up immediately. "Only because you refused to believe a damn word she said."

"It's expected that you would rush to her defence." Jeremiah retorted defensively. "You're biased. You are letting your feelings for this girl cloud your judgement."

Jacob's fists clenched. Out of all the elders Jeremiah was always the most confrontational. He was a known troublemaker, always stirring up ill feeling. "My judgement is just fine, old man." Jacob seethed. "If you say one more derogatory thing about Bella…."

"Simmer down, Jake." Billy advised in a low voice. "You are giving him the reaction he wants. Ignore his posturing."

"Why are you whispering, Billy?" Jeremiah turned his wrath on the chief instead. "If you have something to express then speak aloud so we can all hear it."

"Fine." Billy said through gritted teeth. He gripped the armrests of his chair and sat forward. "You are an old fool, Jeremiah. I am sick to the back teeth of you. Either say something helpful or shut the hell up. Bella is the daughter of one of my best friends. I trust every word she says. She has been nothing but open and honest about what she knows."

Jeremiah's eyes narrowed. "Ah yes. Charlie is one of your best friends. He's one of Harry's too, right." His gaze swivelled toward Harry Clearwater, who thus far had remained silent during the proceedings. "But he doesn't trust her, do you?" His barbed comment made Harry's face flush. All eyes turned toward the Clearwater patriarch. "Well?" Jeremiah pressed.

"Harry?" Billy questioned. He tried to catch his friend's eye. "You know Jeremiah is trying to divide us. You don't mistrust Bella surely. Not after everything."

Harry shifted awkwardly in his seat. He averted his gaze, avoiding Jacob's hard stare and Billy's disappointed one. "I'm sorry but I don't trust her." He admitted. "She has caused my family untold trouble. She didn't warn me about Seth and never told me about Leah. I could have…."

"Because you wouldn't listen to her. Bella warned Leah directly. You heard Leah say it was her choice not to tell anyone until she could get her head around it. " Jacob thundered. He was losing his temper, something he usually kept in check easily. But to hear Harry Clearwater express his suspicions about Bella upset him. It wasn't fair or right. Harry was pushing his own guilt about not noticing the signs onto Bella instead.

"Enough." Old Quil banged his gavel on the table. The meeting was getting out of hand as everyone became overwrought. "I think we should adjourn this meeting until we've all had a chance to cool down." He paused, frowning as he saw Jeremiah smile smugly at the Black's. "Perhaps you should talk to Bella some more, Jacob. Try and garner some more information from her about this cold one's movements. There may be some things she remembers if you try and jog her memory."

"Fine." Jacob replied coolly. He turned on his heel sharply and left the building. He needed to go for a run so he could calm down. Billy shot Jeremiah a dark glare, then a chastened Harry, before he followed his son outside.

* * *

Bella and Leah sat on the porch swing at the back of the Swan house. They sat together in comfortable silence. It was cold outside but still sunny. Bella was wearing her winter coat, but Leah only had on a thin jacket. Seth was like a silent sentinel as he paced up and down Charlie's immaculate garden, his gaze watchful and wary. Jacob had left Bella in the Clearwater's care while the others patrolled further afield.

"I'm sorry you have to do this." Bella said eventually. She felt guilty having to pull Leah and Seth away from their own lives just so they could protect hers. She wondered why she had never really given it much thought before and was ashamed. The pack had sacrificed so much of their time to keep her safe, and she had barely thanked them for their efforts. It was just another reminder of how selfish she had been.

"I'm glad to be out of the house to be honest." Leah confessed. "Dad has been driving me crazy with his overprotectiveness, and I've got Emily in my face." Her voice tailed off. "I wish she would go home. But mom refuses to listen to me. She can't understand why I'm being such a bitch toward Emily."

Bella gazed at Leah in understanding. It must be awful, the constant not knowing whether Sam and Emily would imprint in this time line. Bella was hopeful that Jacob's theory was right, but everyone was just too scared to test it. "Leah, why don't you just tell your mom the truth."

Leah's expression turned sad. "Dad asked me not to."

"But what about what you want?" Bella asked.

Leah didn't answer Bella's question. Instead she asked one of her own. "What am I like?"

"What do you mean?" Bella was confused.

"The Leah you know. What am I…what is she like? Am I the same as her?" Leah gazed at Bella with trepidation.

It was a hard thing to answer. Bella hesitated, trying to find the right words. This Leah was different to the girl she had come to know. Even though she knew about what had happened to the Leah in Bella's reality, she hadn't experienced all of them, like losing Sam to her cousin. Harry was still alive. So much was different, and these things made this Leah different. She wasn't as consumed with bitterness, or as angry. She was sad, but she was softer somehow. More open to listening to advice and accepting support. "You're not the same." Bella said eventually. "When I met Leah she had already been through so much torment. She was so consumed with bitterness and anger, that it blinded her to those who wanted desperately to help her. She couldn't move on. It was painful seeing her so sad and lonely."

Leah let out a small gasp. Her eyes glistened with moisture. "I don't want to be like that."

"You won't be." Bella stated firmly. "I can promise you that. You're different. Circumstances are different. I know that you'll get through this. You're strong."

Leah swiped at her eyes. She swallowed thickly before glancing over at her brother. Seth was still pacing, still on full alert. It hurt seeing the change in her normally playful and innocent younger sibling. Her phasing had affected him greatly. "I worry about him." She confessed to Bella.

"I know." Bella reached out and took Leah's hand. "But he has you looking out for him. He couldn't ask for a better older sister. That's one thing you and the Leah I know have in common. You both want to protect Seth at all costs."

"Then she's not completely lost then, is she." Leah said softly.

"No, she's not." Bella agreed.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading! This was a filler chapter but I had envisioned this conversation between Leah and Bella and wanted to devote some time to it.**_


	19. Chapter 19

**Back to the Beginning**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM. It's a pity she didn't do them justice in canon.

 _ **A/N-thank you all for the kind reviews and continuing to follow this story.**_

 **Part Eighteen**

Bella was relieved to see Jacob again, but became anxious when she saw the stony expression on his face. It was obvious the meeting with the elders hadn't gone well. She saw that Leah had noticed too. Seth finally stopped pacing when he saw his Alpha and hurried to greet him. Jacob and Seth had a few words before the young shifter began to head toward the trees.

"Why has Jake sent Seth away?" Bella whispered to Leah.

Leah was looking at Jacob intently. "Something went down with my dad."

"What do you mean? Harry's alright isn't he?" Bella asked in alarm. Surely Harry wasn't experiencing issues with his health after everything she had done to prevent it. Leah didn't seem anxious though, she was more resigned. "Leah?"

"My dad's fine except he seems to be suffering with a case of pig-headedness." Leah sighed. She reached out and gave Bella a quick hug. "Don't worry he won't know what's hit him after I've had a word."

"Leah, whatever it is, go easy on him." Bella warned the she wolf. She was still worried that pushing Harry too far emotionally would spark off a heart attack. She knew she was probably being overcautious. Harry was on medication now and his improved diet had seen him shed a few pounds already. But still, Bella worried.

"I know how to handle my dad." Leah assured her. She walked gracefully down the porch steps, greeting Jacob, before she followed her brother toward the trees. "See you later, sister." She called over her shoulder to Bella before she disappeared out of sight.

* * *

Bella listened as Jacob told her about the council meeting. She reflected on how different this was. If it was Edward he would have lied to her, all in the name of protecting her from the hurtful truth. Even the Jacob in her reality would have tried to shield her. He didn't always tell her what was going on. He was more open then Edward, but still he was always conscious of not upsetting her. But _her_ Jacob had no such issues. He didn't sugar coat anything, although he did show how upset he was at the way Jeremiah and Harry had reacted. He was angrier with Harry then the other elder. It was expected that Jeremiah would kick off, but for Harry to show his lack of support and openly voice his distrust was upsetting.

"I know that must have been hard to hear." Jacob apologised after he had finished. "I'm sorry."

"It was but thank you for telling me the truth. I would rather know what's happening than finding out later third hand." Bella smiled sadly. "That was the problem; I never really knew what was going on." She glanced up at Jacob from under her long lashes. She was feeling guilty. She was about to let him down. He'd passed on Old Quil's request that he ask about Victoria and where she might strike next, but the truth was she simply didn't know. "I was always kept in the dark about that side of things. Edward simply refused to tell me, or he would lie. Once he took me away to stay with my mom, just to avoid me finding out about a confrontation that was going to take place between the pack and his family. They were both chasing Victoria on their side of the treaty line, but clashed when Emmet and Paul stepped across the invisible boundary in pursuit of her. There was a big fight between them. Sam and Carlisle were forced to break it up."

Jacob's eyes darkened. He hated hearing about Edward. He was still smarting over the way the cold bloodsucker had treated Bella. Just the thought of him being around her, touching her, lying and manipulating her. It made his blood boil. But he remained calm on the outside even if he didn't feel it on the inside. "How did you find out then?" He asked instead.

"You told me." Bella said without thinking. She saw Jacob frown, and wished she could bite off her tongue. "I mean, he told me, the Jacob in my timeline."

"Right." It was crazy. Jacob knew that. But he still felt jealous of this other version of himself. He'd spent all this time with Bella, been a huge part of her life. He knew that Bella tried to be careful not to compare them, or talk as if he was the one who had done something the other Jacob had. She had slipped up just then, but it was becoming rarer. There were so many questions he wanted to ask Bella about the guy. Of course he knew a lot. Bella had been open and honest about what had occurred between them during significant events, but what about the quieter times? What had they done together then? They were best friends, were extremely close. He wanted to ask Bella, but was afraid she would clam up if he applied too much pressure. He just loved her so much. Like always, Jacob swallowed down his feelings and concentrated on the here and now. "Well that's a start, Bella. We can pinpoint when she'll be in the area then."

"But can we?" Bella questioned desperately. "Things are different here, Jake. The Cullen's aren't around. So that won't happen. So many things are changing. Certain events are out of order as I remember them. In my world Leah wasn't with me when Laurent attacked. I was on my own. How each of you phased has been different. I could give you a list of times that Victoria may or may not appear, but they'd all be wrong, because things are happening differently here. I'm no help at all." She wrung her hands together in despair.

"Hey, Bella, it's okay." Jacob put his arms around her and pulled her onto his lap. The porch swing protested at the sudden change in weight, but Jacob ignored it. He cuddled Bella close to his chest, stroking her hair with his fingers in a soothing motion. "You've helped more than enough already. Because of you we know what the red head is planning. We can be prepared. As long as we keep a tight control on our borders than we'll be fine."

They were quiet for a moment. Jacob pressed a kiss into her hair. He was mulling over everything that Bella had already told him and the others. The most frightening thing was the newborn army that the crazed cold one created to attack La Push. All those times that the red head had tried to infiltrate the reservation were simply scouting missions on her part. To him that was obvious. She had goaded the wolf pack to chase her so she could assess their numbers and strengths. To see how they worked as a team. Bella had said that this Victoria had the gift of evading capture. It seemed she had a lot more than this one gift, hence Bella being in his arms right now. Jacob held her tighter. Was it bad that he couldn't be sorry for that? If not for the vampire's evil schemes, then Bella wouldn't be with him. He couldn't bear the thought of life without her.

Still, that didn't stop him putting an end to Victoria's evil plans here. There had to be a way to change things. All those young lives in Seattle she had sacrificed in order to get what she wanted. The thought was sickening. What was worse they had all been street kids, the authorities hadn't even noticed they were missing until the number grew so significant that the media had picked up on it. By then the Cullen's had been aware of it, according to Bella some had even gone to investigate just how bad it had gotten. The seer, Alice Cullen, couldn't predict the red head's next move. She was even clever enough to evade a psychic. This was interesting to Jacob. Even though Victoria's mate James had been deranged, he had nothing on his mate. Victoria was certainly more evil and twisted than your average vampire; throw in her gifts, which made her truly frightening.

The key would be to thwart her plans by stopping these events before she had a chance to start them. She hadn't acted alone. She had help. Jacob tried to remember exactly what Bella had said. There was something about a first victim, a random guy that the red head had attacked in Port Angeles. She had then groomed him for almost a year, guiding him through his bloodthirsty newborn stage, prepping him to do her bidding when her plans came to fruition. Victoria had made the poor wretch believe she was in love with him. This guy had been the unwitting caretaker of the newborns until Victoria deemed the time was right to strike.

"Honey, I need to ask you something." Jacob cupped Bella's beautiful face in his hands. Her eyes were glistening with unshed tears. He leaned down and kissed her gently, caressing her soft cheek with his thumb. "I need you to tell me everything you know about Riley."

* * *

Bella could see the awed expressions on the faces of Jacob's brothers as he told them about his idea. They were clearly impressed. Bella was so proud of him. She would never have thought of this herself. Targeting Riley, a key piece of the puzzle, could change everything. Victoria had chosen Riley especially. She had seen something in him that was perfect for what she needed. If they could remove Riley from the picture then that would put a dent in her plans. The only problem was when exactly Victoria had attacked Riley. Bella knew it had been in Port Angeles, but wasn't certain of the date. It had to be soon though. The newborn battle was little over a year away. Victoria would need to use the intervening months to groom Riley.

They were all crowded in Jared's house. He was the one with the most sophisticated technical equipment. His father was a computer programmer. They gathered around the computer console as Jared logged onto Riley's Facebook page. Immediately Riley Biers profile appeared. Bella gasped as she stared at the image of the sandy blonde hair of the nineteen year old. He was good looking in a pale sort of way. Bella hadn't realised that he had brown eyes. It took her a moment to regain her composure. This was the human that Riley once was, not the bloodthirsty version she would come to know later. She felt Jacob's arm slip around her shoulders and she hid her face against his chest.

Jared was reading Riley's profile. "He was born in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He's nineteen years old." He scanned further down, ignoring the older posts about Riley's childhood and his siblings. "He's nearing the end of his freshman year at Oregon University." Jared continued. "Look at this, guys." He pointed toward the screen. "He's just posted that he's on his way back to attend his older sister, Sophie's, wedding. She's getting married in two days in…."

"Port Angeles." Jacob finished for him. "That has to be around the time he crossed paths with the red head."

Bella forced herself to look at the screen. Riley had posted a selfie of himself and Sophie. Brother and sister looked very much alike, the same blonde hair, except Sophie's eyes were a pale blue. They looked happy. Bella felt like crying. This was Riley before Victoria entered his life and ruined him.

"We only have a short window of time." Jacob said to his pack. "We have to move quickly." There were several nods of agreement. Paul and Jared high fived each other, while the others began to talk amongst themselves excitedly. Jacob's gaze drifted to Bella. She was still staring at the picture of Riley and his sister. "You okay?" He asked in concern.

"Yeah." Bella tried to smile.

"Good." Jacob cupped her cheek in his warm hand. "I need you to be because I need a date." He revealed, smirking. "How about it, Bella? Do you fancy crashing a wedding?"

Jacob was asking her to go with him. He was including her in his plans. She wasn't going to be forced to sit on the side lines while others risked their lives to save hers. Edward would never have allowed this, and sadly the Jacob she knew in her world probably wouldn't either. The fact that _her_ Jacob was putting her right at the centre of the action with him by her side bolstered her confidence. It made her feel special, in control. He was placing his faith in her. She wouldn't let him down. "I would love to." She agreed, eyes shining with mischief. "Bring it on."

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading! I wonder how this will go down.**_


	20. Chapter 20

**Back to the Beginning**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Part Nineteen**

Leah finished braiding Bella's hair, smiling. She tucked in a few stray strands. "You're looking good, girl."

Bella blushed. She was never very good at accepting compliments. That hadn't changed. This was all new to her. She had never spent time doing stuff like this. With few close girlfriends, spending time experimenting with makeup, clothes and trying out different hairstyles, had been something she had never done. When she was really young Renee had tried to interest her daughter in these things, but Bella had shied away from it. Bella was realising now how much she had missed out on. It wasn't a chore like she had thought; it was a way for women to bond with each other.

Leah was winding the long braid around Bella's head now, pinning it in place. "Close your eyes." She advised as she began to use hair spray to keep the complicated style in place. Bella nearly choked on the sweet scent. Leah was spraying the can vigorously. "You can open them now." She placed her hands on Bella's shoulders and steered her toward the mirror. "What do you think?"

Bella stared at herself. "Oh, my." She breathed. She gazed at her reflection in wonder. She almost didn't recognise the girl staring back at her. She was wearing a light blue dress. The thin straps accentuated her slim shoulders, the bodice was fitted, and then the skirts flared out, reaching mid-calf on her legs. On her feet she wore a pair of white strappy sandals with a low heel. The small diamanté stones on the straps sparkled as she moved. Bella's eyes travelled up to her face. Leah had been subtle with the makeup. She had used a smidgeon of mascara to lengthen Bella's already long lashes. Light blusher gave Bella a hint of colour in her cheeks.

"Well?" Leah asked.

"I look…." Bella couldn't find the words.

"Good enough to crash a wedding." Leah laughed.

"Yes." Bella agreed. "And you…wow." She spread her arms wide, gazing at Leah admiringly. "You're beautiful."

Leah rolled her eyes; she was as bad at accepting compliments as Bella. She adjusted the straps on her dark blue dress. It clung to her athletic frame, accentuating her curves. The skirts on the dress were shorter than Bella's, falling just above the knee. It showcased her long legs to perfection. Her bobbed hair was pulled back at the sides with two diamanté encrusted combs. Unlike Bella she hadn't bothered with any makeup, she didn't need anything to enhance her already flawless complexion. "I'll do I suppose." She admitted grudgingly.

Bella tried not to laugh. "Sam won't be able to keep his eyes off you."

Leah became quiet. She glanced toward Bella's bedroom window. The sun was high in the sky. For once it wasn't raining. Birdsong could be heard through the opened window. "I'm trying to keep the faith." She admitted. "But now I've phased, I don't feel like a proper woman, you know. I just…." Her voice tailed off.

Bella grabbed Leah's hand and clasped it between her own. "You are stunning, Leah Clearwater." She stated fiercely. "The wolf inside has not changed who you are. I can see that and I'm damn sure that Sam sees it. Don't ever think you are less of a woman."

Leah wasn't one to seek reassurance but since phasing she had been floundering. Her situation was made harder because her lover was sharing her head space. Sam could see every thought and feeling that flashed through her mind. There was no privacy to think, to hide her doubts and fears. It was making her feel vulnerable and she hated it. "I know I'm being stupid."

"No, it's just a natural reaction. I cannot imagine how hard this all is for you. But you can talk to me, even if you just want to vent, I'm here." Bella offered. She squeezed Leah's hand again before dropping it. "Of course I expect the offer to be reciprocated." She continued with a teasing smile.

This brought an amused smile to Leah's face. "I don't think so, girlfriend. I'd need earplugs to put up with your constant whining."

"Remind me to buy you some." Bella replied as she led the way out of the room.

* * *

The VW Rabbit swerved for a second time. "Keep your eyes on the road, Jacob." She warned him irritably.

"Jeez, how am I supposed to concentrate with you looking like that?" Jacob questioned. His hand was on her thigh. She looked so beautiful. He couldn't keep his eyes off her.

Bella felt her skin burn. She raised her eyes to meet his admiring gaze and she laughed awkwardly. She glanced at him from under her long lashes. She wasn't used to so much attention. Being with Jacob was so different to being with Edward. The latter may have showered her with endless flowery compliments, but he had never made her feel so wanted, so attractive. Jacob did, just by every smouldering look or touch he threw her way. It was exciting and thrilling. Bella had never felt so alive. She couldn't take her eyes off him either. He looked so sexy. He was wearing a white shirt; open at the neck, showing a hint of his muscular chest. The sleeves were rolled up to his elbows.

"I feel like we're going on a date." Bella confessed.

"Yeah, it does feel like that." Jacob smiled his special smile, sending Bella's heart jumping in her chest. He stroked her thigh for a second before reluctantly putting both hands on the wheel. "This is torture, you know that right. If we weren't on such an important mission I'd stop this car right now and…"

"Jake, watch the road." Bella laughed as the car swerved again. She glanced behind. Sam and Leah were tailing them in the she wolf's car. Bella waved. Leah just smirked before blowing her a kiss. Sam seemed amused by the whole thing. It was just the four of them. The other pack members were staying in La Push, protecting the reservation while they went to the wedding. It felt good to be away from Forks and La Push for a while. Being all dressed up, it was like she was escaping her chains for a while. She could see that Leah felt the same. Even Jacob and Sam seemed more relaxed. They were all treating this as a day out rather than the dangerous outing it really was.

Jacob took Bella's hand. His warm touch broke her out of her thoughts. She turned to look at him. He was smiling wistfully. "When this is all over, I promise that I'll take you on a real date, somewhere really romantic."

Bella twined her fingers through his. "Do you realise we've done this all backwards?" She stared at their joined hands. "We've already slept together. We never did the whole dating thing."

"I know." Jacob caressed his thumb across the palm of her hand. "But then that kinda fits us." He mused. "I always knew you were the one."

Bella felt tears spring into her eyes. Why hadn't she known? "I love you, Jacob." She whispered.

Jacob raised their joined hands and kissed the back of hers, all the while keeping his eyes on the road. "Love you more."

* * *

Sophie Biers was getting married at the small courthouse in Port Angeles. According to Riley's Facebook page the reception was going to be held at a local restaurant. The name was familiar to Bella. It was somewhere Edward had taken her once. It was expensive. It seemed that Sophie had splashed out more on the party afterwards than the main event. The restaurant had a huge dancefloor. Live bands often played there. One had been playing the night Edward had taken Bella there. It was actually a jazz quartet. While other couples had been up dancing, Edward had remained frozen in place, eyes closed, absorbing the music. Bella had sat in envy, wishing she was one of those couples dancing. But then she had always stated she couldn't dance. Edward had taken her at her word. It just showed how little he knew her.

Bella and the others were actually crashing the reception rather than the wedding itself. Getting into the small courthouse would be difficult. They would stand out and be noticed. The wedding itself was small and intimate. Sophie had invited only close family. But the reception was another matter. There were over a hundred guests invited. This would be an easier venue to slip into without any questions being asked. They had to time their entrance carefully. They waited until the speeches were done and the guests had a few drinks inside them. Music was playing and some couples were already up dancing. It was late afternoon when the four of them slipped inside the restaurant and began to mingle.

* * *

They spotted Riley right away. He was standing talking to his sister, Sophie. The bride looked buoyant. Her face was alight with happiness as she spoke to her younger brother. The groom looked less radiant. He was a thin man who seemed to be melting in his ill-fitting suit. He kept tugging on the collar of his shirt.

"Excuse me." A small man, with the same sandy blonde hair as Riley's, approached. He looked very nervous. His head fell back as he gazed up at Jacob and Sam. "Um…do you have an invite? I don't seem to recognise you…."

"I'm a friend of Riley's." Bella interjected quickly, drawing the nervous man's attention to herself. He seemed relieved to talk to someone nearer his level. "I attend the same university as Riley. He said if I was down this way to pop in and bring some friends. I hope that's not a problem, Mr Biers." She recognised him from some of the family portraits Riley had put up on his Facebook account. This man was Riley's father.

"Oh, of course not. That is so like Riley." Mr Biers motioned toward his son in the distance. "I'll call him over. The least he could do is come and greet you."

"No, that's fine. I'll catch up with him later." Bella said with a blinding smile.

Mr Biers was dazzled. He smiled back at Bella. "Well, make yourselves comfortable. The buffet is over there. You can have one complimentary drink but then you have you have to pay for the rest." He suddenly looked embarrassed. "I'm afraid I was on a limited budget."

"No problem." Bella assured him. "Thank you so much. Oh…and congratulations of course."

"Yes, of course." Mr Biers seemed to have forgotten momentarily they were celebrating his daughter's nuptials. He gave them a nervous wave as he continued on in his mission to greet each and every guest.

"That was close." Jacob whistled. "Jeez, Bella, you should be on the stage." He praised her.

"Yeah, talk about thinking on your feet." Sam agreed.

Bella glowed under their compliments. She noticed Leah smirking. "How about we take to the dance floor? That way we can keep a close eye on Riley." She suggested.

"Can't we visit the buffet first? I'm starving." Jacob's eyes were already on the food.

Bella tried not to laugh. She shouldn't be surprised. The wolf pack was always hungry. "Lead the way, Alpha." She said playfully as she pretended to salute him.

* * *

The party was in full swing. The bride and groom were centre stage. It looked like Sophie was holding her new husband upright. His eyes were too bright. He was clearly drunk. Bella wondered whether there would be much action on their honeymoon night and blushed that she was even thinking about such a thing. Riley was dancing with a pretty blonde. The four of them kept on the outskirts of the dance floor, circling Riley, keeping him in their orbit. Bella found it easy dancing with Jacob. He was a good dancer. He gently guided her across the floor, stopping her from falling when she kept tripping over her own feet. She could feel the envious glances she was getting from the other lone females hovering on the edges of the action. Jacob stood out, so did Sam. It wasn't just their heights, it was everything about them. Their looks, their muscular build, the way they carried themselves with such grace.

"Are you having fun?" Jacob whispered to Bella as they danced. He drew her closer, leaning down so he could kiss the shell of her ear. His touch made Bella shiver with anticipation. His hand was on her lower back, she could feel the warmth exuding from his fingers through the thin material of her dress. Her skin was practically vibrating where he touched her.

"Yes." Bella smiled up at Jacob. He grinned, whirling her around suddenly, and then pulling her back against him. His hand on her lower back pressed her body tightly to his. Bella gasped at the contact. "Warn me next time." She mock scolded him.

"Where would be the fun in that?" Jacob laughed again as he whirled her around and around until she was breathless.

* * *

It was late. Outside the night sky was awash with stars. Inside the lights were low to create a romantic ambience. Bella rested her head against Jacob's chest as they swayed. A slow dance number was playing. She felt his hand cup the back of her head. She raised her eyes to meet his. He was looking at her so lovingly it made her breath hitch. He lowered his head, his mouth drawing near hers, eyes closing. He was going to kiss her. Bella smiled, ready and waiting, closing her own eyes in anticipation of the kiss. But it never came. Bella felt Jacob stiffen, he inhaled sharply. Bella opened her eyes and gazed up at him curiously.

"What is it?"

"Vampire." Jacob muttered.

Bella's heart dropped. Across the hall she could see Sam and Leah. They were no longer dancing and were staring in the same direction as Jacob. She didn't want to look; she already knew who it was. Bella felt her stomach churning. Slowly she turned around in Jacob's arms. Victoria, her vibrant hair pinned up into a tumbling mass of curls, stood on the edges of the dancefloor, wearing a flashy red dress. Her eyes were covered with a pair of designer shades. Standing right next to her was Riley. With a sardonic smile Victoria raised her glass of champagne toward Bella in a silent toast.

 _Then it all went to hell…._

* * *

Bella collapsed in Jacob's arms as she began to fit. She heard his panicked voice call her name as she was sucked back into her own reality with a violent jerk. Victoria loomed above her. Her long red hair was blowing wildly in the strong wind. Bella felt the cold snow seeping into her back. Victoria's hands were grasping her throat. She couldn't breathe. Bella began to fight for her life.

"You think you can outwit me. Think again. Tick tock." Victoria snarled. She suddenly released her grip on Bella, sending her tumbling down the rocky slope. Bella rolled over and over in the cold snow until she suddenly collided with something hard. The breath was stolen from her body as she sank into darkness.

* * *

It was a strain to open her eyes. Everywhere hurt. Bella drew in a painful breath. Her lungs were on fire. She groaned. Then there was noise, the sound of sirens. Panicked voices assaulted her ears, one above the rest. Jacob. He was calling her name. "Bella, Bella. Wake up, honey. Please, Bella."

Bella's eyes flared open. Jacob's beloved face swam into view. "Jake." She rasped. "What happened?"

Jacob dropped his head to her chest. He was nearly sobbing in his relief. He took in deep shuddering breaths. "I thought you died. I can't….." He raised his head again, dark eyes full of anguish and pain. "I love you so much."

"I don't understand…." Bella felt confused, disorientated. Behind Jacob she could see Sam and Leah, they looked shocked. Others were swarming around them on the outskirts; they were the guests from Sophie Biers wedding.

"It happened again." Leah said shakily. She was clutching Sam's hand for dear life. "You had a seizure and you were fading away. It was chaos. Someone called an ambulance."

"Victoria?" Bella whispered. "Riley?"

"They're gone, Bella." Jacob told her sadly. "The cold bitch got she wanted. Your seizure created the distraction she needed. I screwed up. I'm sorry." He apologised. "I'm so sorry."

 _ **A/N-thank you for reading!**_


	21. Chapter 21

**Back to the Beginning**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Part Twenty**

Jacob and Sam stood outside on front porch. Bella was inside the Black's house, resting. Leah was keeping an eye on her to give Jacob a break. It had been a horrendous journey back to La Push. This new seizure had really taken its toll on Bella's health. She kept blacking out, which panicked Jacob. Sam ended up driving Leah's car home alone, while she drove the VW Rabbit. This allowed Jacob to be with Bella. He had tried to keep her awake. Her eyes kept drooping, she fought to remain concious. Like everyone she was sacred that if she slept at all, she would be thrust back into her own reality again, with no chance of returning this time. Victoria's threat was still fresh in all their minds.

"How the hell did the bitch know we would be there?" Jacob asked for the hundredth time. He was feeling so frustrated, and full of guilt that he had placed Bella in danger. None of them had given a thought about her seizures. They had all assumed it had been a one off. But as soon as Bella had set eyes on Victoria, she had succumbed. "I don't understand how this is happening."

Sam put a hand on Jacob's shoulder. "I'm sorry." He said quietly.

"I can't lose her, Sam." Jacob had been hiding the depths of his despair from everyone else, but he didn't with Sam. He raised his head, dark eyes full of anguish, as he looked at his beta. "I love her so much. It's killing me watching her suffer and not being able to protect her from it. Dammit, I just want one moment with that evil red head so I can end this for good." He smashed his fist into the side of the house.

"You need to calm down." Sam warned him. "Bella might hear."

Jacob took a deep shuddering breath. He knew Sam was right. Bella didn't need to see him falling apart. He had to remain strong, focused for both of their sakes. He began to pace. "You're right, Sam. Sorry." He threw Sam a grateful look.

"I understand how scary it is, thinking that the one you love could be wrenched away from you." Sam swallowed thickly. He was thinking of Leah and the whole imprinting mess. Their future was in the balance, just as much as Jacob's was with Bella, but in a different way. Emily Young was still lodged in the Clearwater's house. Sam had avoided going anywhere near where Leah's cousin might be. But the tension of trying to avoid fate was wearing him down as it was Leah.

Now it was Jacob's turn to console Sam. He stopped pacing. "I'm certain it won't happen. I'm in charge of the pack. I've accepted my destiny. Things are different here. I'm certain that the imprint between you and Emily won't happen." He stated firmly.

"What you say makes sense." Sam agreed bitterly. "But we just don't know for sure, and I am not willing to test the theory. I won't risk it."

Jacob couldn't argue with that. He understood Sam's reluctance. He began to pace once more, frustrated again. "Do you know what makes me really angry?"

"What?" Sam asked curiously. Jacob's eyes were blazing. His Alpha had always been so calm and collected ever since his first phase, so it was odd for Sam to see Jacob like this. He often forgot that underneath his muscle mass Jacob was still only sixteen. He was so mature for his age; he always had been since Sam had known him.

"I would love to know what the fuck the Jacob in Bella's reality has been doing the whole time, dammit. He left her unprotected. Why?" Jacob questioned. "Where is he? Why isn't he attacking the red headed bitch? I would never have left Bella alone."

"She was left with the leech, remember." Sam pointed out. "It was supposed to have been a safe spot. That's why Bella was camped out on the mountain. Didn't she say the seer predicted that was the best place?" A guilty expression crossed Sam's face. "And didn't Bella say that I was the one who ordered the Jacob in her timeline away. That I made him join the fight against the newborns." He continued in a low voice. "It seems like just another crappy decision that I made among hundreds."

Jacob heard the underlying guilt in Sam's tone. "That wasn't you. Like you said earlier, the circumstances were different. Not to mention Bella told us that the other Jacob defied the other Sam's orders before. So, why not again?" Jacob's eyes narrowed as he tried to tie everything together and make sense of it. "And if being on top of the mountain was such a safe place how come the little psychic didn't see Victoria coming? The red head had more powers than the stupid Cullen's were aware of that's for sure."

"Yeah, it seems so." Sam agreed. He was sharing Jacob's frustration. The two men fell silent for a while as they tried to make sense of it all. They looked out at the horizon. The sky was black, heavy with rain. Already the first few heavy spots began to fall. A storm was coming.

"Victoria is the key." Jacob finally spoke after a while. He leaned against the wall, arms crossed, brow furrowed in concentration. "She's already put her sick plan in motion here. All we can do now is try and stop her before it escalates. We have to be on full alert. We know she has the power of evasion. Right now she's feeling triumphant. She thinks she holds all the cards. We have to use that overconfidence against her. We've got to find a way to bring her down in this timeline."

"We will." Sam assured him.

"But even if we do somehow bring her down, that doesn't stop her in Bella's world." Jacob continued in exasperation. "I feel if we could kill her in the other time line, she could come crashing down here. There is a reason she sent Bella here, Sam."

"I thought it was to torment her or something." Sam countered. "It seems that way to me. "Isn't this what it was all about in the first place, vengeance for her mate being killed?"

"I don't think it is as simple as that." Jacob ran his fingers through his hair. His head was hurting with the enormity of it all. He didn't know what to do. All he could think about was losing Bella. He was scared. Time was running out. Isn't that what the crazed red head was indicating with her incessant reference to a ticking clock? "I need to go with her Sam." He said suddenly.

"Go where?" Sam was confused for a second before he finally comprehended what Jacob was suggesting. "That's crazy."

"Is it?" Jacob stated fiercely, his dark eyes blazed with determination. "You remember how Leah described that when she first came close to phasing in Bella's house, when Bella had her seizure, she saw Victoria. And then the second time when they were attacked by the vampire with the dreads, she said when she was in the midst of phasing that Victoria in the other reality saw her."

"Jake…." Sam interjected warily.

"There has to be a connection. There has to be a way to skip through time. Think of it this way. When we begin to phase, as our bodies morph into the wolf, we're not actually in one place or another." Jacob described.

"No, I suppose not." Sam agreed cautiously.

"I think that's what's happening to Bella in a way. She's caught between two time zones. I think that's why she has these seizures. She's pushed back into her own time briefly, but then comes back here. I don't know if she's willing herself to come back. I know she wants to stay. She loves me. My girl could have some kick ass powers of her own. Jeez, Sam, she's run with vampires and wolves. There's something special about her. If Bella can slip through time, if Leah was able to, even for only a few seconds when she was in the midst of phasing, then I'm damn sure I can too." He paused for a moment as he watched Sam absorb his news. "The next time it happens to Bella I'm going to go with her and kill Victoria."

* * *

There was a flash of lightening, followed a moment later by a loud rumble of thunder. Rain began to lash down. It drummed on the roof of the little redwood house. It splashed into the dirt, churning up the mud and creating deep pools of water. It was so dark, without their keen eyesight, Jacob and Sam's visibility would have been reduced to zero. The two shapeshifters remained silent. Sam was still having trouble dealing with Jacob's suggestion. He understood what his Alpha was saying. In a crazy way it made sense, but he thought his leader was being rash. His love and fear of losing Bella was making him clutch at straws.

"So, you're basically saying when or if Bella has another seizure, you're gonna phase, hoping that pulls you along with her." Sam checked.

"That's about it." Jacob could see that Sam was disbelieving. "I am certain it will work. All the signs point that way."

"Right, you get there, you kill Victoria. And then what?" Sam questioned. "How do you get back? She's dead. You're stuck in Bella's timeline without a chance in hell of getting back home. The other Jacob is still there. What affect will this have? Not to mention that Edward fucking Cullen and his coven are there? And the other pack? You're not thinking straight."

There was another flash of lightening. It lit up Jacob's face, highlighting his desperation and fear. He couldn't sit idle, doing nothing but wait. Time was slipping through his fingers. Each seizure was weakening Bella. She was tired, exhausted. How much more could she credibly endure. There was a loud clap of thunder, it hit the ground with force, and the house shook with the intensity of it. "What choice do I have Sam? I can't lose her. I can't. How much longer can this carry on? What if she has another seizure, but this time she doesn't come back to me. You saw her body fade. You saw it. If it was Leah…."

"Stop it, man." Sam reached out and gripped Jacob's shoulders. "Of course I would risk it if it was Leah. But I know you would also talk me out of it. You don't know what could happen, Jake. What if you never make it to the other time? What if you get hurt, or worse, killed. How would that help Bella then? She would be facing Victoria alone." Jacob's face was a mask of pain. He let out a low growl. But Sam still held on, staring his Alpha straight in the eyes. "Time is a fragile thing. Every little thing we do changes things. You've seen it with the impact Bella has had already, here. There are so many things to weigh up. Even if you did make it over to the other time, you don't know what kind of shit storm you could be stirring up."

Sam was right. Of course he was right. But that still didn't mean Jacob had to like it. He wrenched Sam's hands off his shoulders and stormed off into the rain. Sam watched him go, not bothering to stop him. He'd been in the same position himself many times, ever since learning about imprinting. He saw Jacob phase and disappear into the forest. He needed time to sort his head out. Sam sat down on the porch steps and waited. Jacob would soon be back. Bella needed him, he wouldn't be able to stay away long. The front door opened. With silent feet Leah came out to join her lover. She sat down beside Sam and rested her head on his shoulder.

"You heard." It wasn't a question.

"I did." Leah replied sadly.

"Is Bella?"

"Asleep." Leah assured him. "She's so exhausted even this damn storm couldn't wake her."

"Did I do the right thing?" Sam asked tentatively. "I mean shutting him down like that."

Leah glanced up at his handsome face. She slipped her hand in his and squeezed his fingers. "Of course you did." She assured him. The strain left Sam's face at her words. He rested his cheek against her soft hair as they waited out the storm.

* * *

 _Bella was drifting through her life. She was like a wraith. Her body was so thin you could see right through it. It was an odd sensation. Right now she was hovering around her parents. Charlie and Renee were in the hospital in Forks. Charlie was cradling a little newborn in his arms, her. Bella saw the faint fuzz of baby hair on her head. Her small button nose wrinkled as she breathed. She was wrapped in the small pink baby blanket that her grandmother had knitted. Her father looked so at peace. His head was bent; his cap of shiny brown hair fell forward over his face. His was clean shaven. It was odd to see Charlie without his ever present moustache. Renee leaned forward, a serene smile on her face as she cooed at her daughter._

 _Then the scene changed. It was no longer peaceful. Bella was forced to witness her parents fight. Charlie and Renee tore each other to shreds as they fought about their marriage. Tears sprang into her eyes as she listened to her father beg her mother to reconsider her decision to leave. It was awful listening to his pleas. But Renee was adamant. There was no going back._

 _Bella began to drift again. She saw herself at different points in her life, growing up. It was odd, eerie seeing the solemn expression on her face as she first started kindergarten. She watched her mother, so carefree, flighty, always ready for the next adventure, but hopeless with money, and having little common sense. Bella saw herself sitting at the kitchen table doing the bookkeeping. She was ten years old. Renee floated around the kitchen, cooking one of her awful meals. She was hopeless at that too. Two years later and it was Bella at the stove, cooking._

 _Her expression never changed, all through her early school years. She remained reserved, quiet, never quite fitting in. There were the brief visits to Forks. She hovered behind Charlie like a ghost as she watched her father greet her younger self after months apart. She looked nervous; scared as this strange man she only saw twice a year came to pick her up at the airport. Their conversation was stilted, strained. It was awful._

 _Then the scene changed again. Charlie was driving to La Push in the cruiser with her strapped in beside him. Her younger self was looking out of the window, gazing at the familiar scenery as it rushed past. Then the Black's house came into view. Bella felt a lump lodge in her throat as she gazed at the familiar redwood house that felt like home. She saw younger Bella climb out of the car. There was a boy in the front yard, his long black hair falling around his face. He raised his head, gazing right at her, and then he smiled making Bella's heart soar._

* * *

"Bella, Bella."

"No." Bella moaned. She didn't want to wake up. She was in the front yard with Jacob, messing about on an old bicycle he was fixing up.

"Bella." A warm hand shook her.

Bella sighed, finally opening her eyes. She was confused, disorientated. This was an older Jacob. Not the young boy in her dreams. "Jake." She said thickly.

"Hey you." Jacob smiled, his dark eyes glistening with moisture. He stroked her sweaty hair back from her face with gentle fingers.

"Hey." Bella was coming back to reality. She shook off the remnants of her dream and smiled back at him. "I didn't mean to fall asleep."

Jacob caressed her face lovingly. He was having a hard time containing his emotions. When he had returned and Leah had told him Bella had fallen asleep, he'd panicked. He'd rushed into his room, expecting the worst, but she was still here. "I love you, Bella." He said softly. "I love you so much."

"I love you too." Bella gazed up at him, touching his face reverently. He was so beautiful and she loved him so much. The depth of her feelings couldn't be described. What they shared transcended romance, it was so much more. She could see the fear in his eyes, the pain, and she wanted to make it all go away. But she couldn't.

Jacob caught her hand and kissed her trembling fingers. His lips grazed the palm of her hand until they reached the scar from James' bite adorning her wrist. His dark eyes blazed. Victoria's mate! Victoria's mate had hurt his. James' venom had run through Bella's veins. She had so nearly become a cold one. Jacob traced the scar with his forefinger, frowning. Bella felt the scar begin to burn and itch at his touch. Immediately an image of Victoria rose in her mind and she had to snatch her hand away.

"I'm sorry; it hurts when you do that." She apologised.

"How often does it do that?" Jacob enquired. He kept his voice steady so as not to alarm her. "I thought it was healed."

"It is. It's just occasionally it bothers me." Bella hid her hand underneath her other one. She didn't want to see the ugly scar which reminded her of one of the worst nights of her life. "Is there something wrong?" She asked worriedly.

"No, it's okay." Jacob smiled his special smile to charm her into cheer again. He didn't want her to be more stressed then she already was. A theory was developing in his mind, and before he shared it with her, he wanted to seek his dad and Sam's advice. Instead he crawled onto the bed beside her. "Do you want some company?"

"Do you need to ask?" Bella closed her eyes in bliss as she felt Jacob's strong arms wrap around her.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	22. Chapter 22

**Back to the Beginning**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the awesome reviews and for still following this story!**_

 **Part Twenty One**

The storm intensified over the next few hours. The rain lashed down in a never ending torrent. The ground was completely saturated, turning the churned up mud into deep pools of water. The trees were nearly bent double as the strong winds seemed hell bent on uprooting them. It was midday and the sky was as black as night. Victoria used the chaos caused by the storm to her advantage. The wolves, still out patrolling despite the vicious storm, came across signs that she had been on their lands. The scent was faint, but definitely there. It was Paul who called out a warning. Jacob was forced to leave Bella in the care of Leah and her brother Seth, while he went and joined his brothers.

Jacob's red fur was blown every which way by the wild wind. Leaves and other detritus spun around in the air, blinding him as he tried to cut a clear path through the forest. The constant creaking and groaning of the trees as the wind lashed at their trunks was unnerving, sending branches and twigs spiralling to the forest floor. Jacob was forced to navigate his way around them. His heavy paws sunk into the soft mud, leaving big indents in the soil. There was little he could do about that. The horrific weather was slowing him down and it aggravated him. A journey that should have taken five minutes at top speed took twenty. Jacob had to keep backtracking in order to find a clear path. Eventually he reached Paul.

"Where?" Their conversation was short and to the point.

"Top of the cliff." Paul turned tail and headed back to the tallest point. Jacob followed the silver grey wolf quickly. The rain had reduced visibility to practically zero. They would be exposed on the cliff top, but had little choice. If Jacob wanted to track the red headed bitch, he had to take what he could get.

Once out of the cover of the trees Jacob felt the full brute force of the storm. The rain bled into his eyes as he tried to focus on what was ahead. His thick fur became saturated, turning almost black under the weight of the water. He had to use all his strength to fight the wind as he made his way to the very edge of the cliff. He made sure to sink his claws into the mud to give him extra leverage. There was a danger he could be blown over the cliff edge. Paul was beside him. He sniffed the ground, tail drooping, body braced against the vicious wind.

"There." Paul's voice echoed through Jacob's mind. He joined his brother, using his sensitive nose to pick apart the other smells. A faint aroma, sickly sweet and sickening in equal measure assaulted his nostrils, _Victoria!_

With his nose fixed to the ground Jacob followed her trail. She seemed to go back and forth on herself several times. It wound around the cliff's edge, into the forest, then back again to the same point. Jacob huffed in frustration. She was playing them. He diverted off back into the forest this time, head raised, nostrils flared as he tried to catch a drift of her scent. There were no footprints on the ground, unlike his and Paul's deep indentations. She had to have used the trees. Jacob raised his head further, his keen eyes searching the umbrella of branches above him.

 _There, a flash of red_. Jacob bared his sharp teeth. A low rumbling growl echoed deep in his throat. Victoria was above them, a few feet away, precariously clinging to the tallest branches of a tree. She was having difficulty though; even she was feeling the full force of the wind and heavy rain. Her red eyes were trained on Jacob; the marble like white skin on her face seemed to glow in the dark. Jacob felt Paul brush by him as he trotted under the trees, his gaze focused on their enemy. Jacob was forced to order him to remain still. He didn't trust Victoria. He had learned this to his detriment. He wasn't sure how much this version of her knew. Was she somehow in contact with her other self in Bella's time line? Jacob wasn't entirely convinced. He didn't think the Victoria in Bella's reality could actually communicate directly with her counterpart in his. But she could definitely influence her actions somehow, hence her being at Sophie Biers wedding to kidnap Riley.

The wind howled, lashing at the tree Victoria was residing in. It bent the tree almost in half, dropping the vampire almost in Jacob's path. Victoria was forced to let go of her branch. She dropped to the ground on all fours like a cat. She raised her head, her vibrant red hair whirled about her making her look like the she-devil she was. Red eyes met dark brown ones. Wolf and vampire regarded each other carefully, both still, both waiting.

Paul was getting impatient. He was chomping at the bit to attack. "Why are we waiting?" He demanded through the pack mind link.

"She's up to something." Jacob warned his brother. His gaze was still focused on the red headed cold one. He dug his paws firmly into the dirt, bracing his body to attack as soon as he saw one flicker of movement from Victoria.

The movement came from her left hand. He noticed her clenched fist unwind. An evil smirk crossed her lips as she threw something directly into the wolves' eyes. The trees were still tossing about violently in the wind. The stormy weather was making it difficult to see, smell or hear anything. Of course she had toyed with them deliberately. The tiny grains stung as they hit their orbs. Paul howled miserably, using his foreleg to rub at his eyes. They started to tear madly, blinding him. Jacob wasn't so affected. Only some had penetrated his eyes. He blinked rapidly, smelling the familiar scent of black pepper, mixed with sand. He growled. Victoria whirled around and darted between the trees until she was swallowed up by the darkness.

Jacob wasn't giving up that easily. He chased her, ignoring the burn in his eyes. His paws churned up the mud as he followed her, winding his large body between the trunks of the trees. Victoria's red hair was like a beacon calling him onward. He was so focused on his target that he didn't realise where she was leading him. Suddenly they burst out into the open. They were back on top of the cliff again. Victoria ran to the edge. She glanced behind her at Jacob. He was running so fast his forward momentum made it hard for him to stop. He couldn't stop his trajectory. He slid forward, skidding on his forepaws as he tried to grind to a halt. But it was too late. His large body slammed into Victoria's hard one. The breath whooshed from his lungs at the impact. He felt her cold arms wind around him as he toppled over the edge of the cliff, taking her with him.

* * *

Bella was cooking. She had to do something. She couldn't sit around, waiting. She felt so weak, she could barely stand upright. Billy begged her to rest, but she refused to listen. Leah and Seth were outside in the wild weather, keeping guard. Bella hated not knowing what was going on. Jacob had been gone for three hours now. After what had happened at the wedding reception, she couldn't contain her panic that Victoria had somehow engineered this whole thing deliberately. She didn't remember a storm as wicked as this one in her own past. This was an entirely different scenario that the wolves were facing.

"You're not well." Billy pleaded with Bella as he saw her lean against the kitchen counter to stop herself from crashing to the ground. He carefully took the knife she had been using to chop the vegetables out of her shaking hand. "Sit down."

"I can't. I need to do something. Jake and the others will be hungry when they get back." Bella tried to fight Billy but she was as weak as a kitten.

"I can fix something to eat." Billy grabbed her hand, gently steering her toward the old couch. He used his free hand to guide his wheelchair forward. "You should sleep."

"I can't. Not without Jacob." Bella fell onto the old couch, exhausted. Already her lids were closing. She tried to fight it. She wasn't up for seeing Victoria in her nightmares. She tried to project an image of Jacob in her mind's eye instead. Her last dream had started out troubled, but had then changed. Before Jacob had woken her she had been dreaming of him. They had been fixing up an old bicycle. She tried to imagine herself back there.

"That's it. You sleep. I'll finish the meal." Billy's voice seemed far away as her eyes closed and she drifted into darkness.

* * *

 _The cold slammed into her. Bella woke up to a world of white. She rolled onto her back, moaning as a shooting pain ran up her spine. She could hardly move. Everything hurt. It was difficult to breathe. She lay there spread-eagled in the snow, unable to think clearly. The sky above was blue. She saw birds wheeling up in the sky, cawing. In the distance she heard noises. Bella tried to focus her mind. She felt so confused, weak. She tried to raise her arm. She gasped with pain at the movement, her shoulder burned, but she gritted her teeth, determined to raise her hand. There it was. She waggled her fingers in front of her eyes, not at first seeing the blood that coated them. But when she did focus she gagged._

 _Black spots clouded her vision as she retched over and over until her stomach was empty. She groaned, forcing her body upright, ignoring the pain and the panic fluttering in her chest. The noises were getting louder. Bella twisted her head, trying to figure out what direction it was coming from. She saw the huge rock behind her and her memory came flooding back. This was where Victoria had flung her. There was the dip in the snow where her body had rolled down the mountain until it connected with the rock and knocked her unconscious. This had happened when she'd had her seizure at the wedding reception. She had been forced back into her own time briefly. Victoria had taunted her before flinging her away like a piece of trash._

" _No." Bella cried silent tears as she realised she was back in her own reality once again. "This can't be happening. Jacob…." She whispered in despair. She rubbed at her face with her hands, leaving streaks of blood across her cheeks. Bella knew she needed to move. With considerable effort she staggered to her feet, crying out in pain as her body protested violently._

 _One step, two, three, four….Bella climbed up the slippery slope. The noises were getting louder and louder. Even this small effort was tiring. Bella reached for the wolf charm around her neck. She enclosed it in her small fist. Touching her talisman gave her courage. She forced her body onward until she reached the crest of the slope. What she saw made her fall to her knees. Her mouth opened in a silent scream as Edward's broken body rolled toward her like a plastic mannequin. Victoria stood atop the mountain, the sun shining behind her, setting her red hair ablaze, her skin sparkling with a thousand diamonds. She raised her arms above her head, stretching like a cat, her full red lips pulled upwards in a triumphant smile. Then she froze mid-stretch, the smile faded from her face to be replaced with a snarl. Her eyes locked onto a trembling Bella. "NOOOOO! This wasn't supposed to happen." She screamed._

* * *

Jacob was fighting for his life. Victoria had in him in a death grip. She was squeezing the remaining air from his lungs. He fought for breath, fighting with every last ounce of strength to loosen her grip. His felt his ribs crack, one by one. A pained howl bubbled in his throat. Then wolf and vampire hit the water as one. They sank under the sea like two heavy stones. Jacob felt water burst between his opened jaws. He struggled valiantly, kicking his legs, squirming. Victoria held on tightly, gripping him like a limpet, her legs and arms wrapped as far around him as she could. They sank lower and lower. Jacob's lungs were on fire. He was slowly drowning as the air was expelled from his body. His movements became less and less. His eyes closed. They hit the sea bed with a soft bump. Victoria kept up the pressure. She had him.

Then it all went to hell. Jacob transformed right before her eyes. He was no longer a wolf but a man. Victoria was so shocked she released him. His body began to float upwards, higher and higher. With the pressure gone it eased the tension on his body. Jacob's natural healing ability kicked in. He was weak but he could move. He used his legs to give him momentum. His muscular arms cut through the water as he headed for the surface. Finally he was there. He broke through, he breathed raggedly, drawing vital air into his lungs.

Behind he heard a feral snarl. He whipped around in the water to find Victoria bobbing on the surface a few feet away, but she wasn't looking at him, but rather his pack. His brothers were high-tailing it down the beach, coming to his rescue. Sam entered the water first, followed by Paul, then the others. Jacob felt renewed energy in his body. He began to swim toward Victoria. She snarled at him again before ducking under. Jacob was ready for this manoeuvre. He dived underneath the thrashing waves and managed to catch her legs in a strong grip. Victoria cursed, her red eyes blazing, as she tried to shake him off. But Jacob hung on. All he had to do was hold on long enough for his brothers to reach him. Together they could end this bitch's threat before it escalated. Victoria rolled again, jerking her legs to try and loosen his hold, but he kept hanging on.

"Curse you." Victoria screamed. Bubbles protruded from her mouth as she spoke.

Jacob could hear his brothers getting closer. Victoria lashed out again, her maddened eyes crazed with anger. "Damn you." She suddenly dived forward, towing him with her, going deeper and deeper underneath the ocean. Jacob did his best to pull her back. They fought, whirling around and around as if engaging in some mad dance.

Finally his brothers were there. Victoria found herself caught amongst a sea of wolves. She cursed, screamed and cussed. But it was too late for her. Sam dived down and caught her in his strong jaws. Paul was close behind, then Embry, Jared and Quil got their piece too. Jacob finally let go, letting his body rise to the surface naturally. He watched as Victoria burst to the surface, her red eyes glowing like two blazing coals. She thrashed around, fighting for her life. She sought Jacob's gaze. "You have sentenced her to death. I die, she dies." She screamed. It was the last words she spoke as her head was wrenched from her neck.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	23. Chapter 23

**Back to the Beginning**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews and for following this crazy story. My inspiration for this story came about after listening to this song 'Here with Me,' by Robert Koch and Susie Suh.**_

 **Part Twenty Two**

Bella stayed on her knees in front of Victoria. The red head glared back at her, fists clenched tight. Bella shivered with the cold. The snow was seeping through the denim of her jeans. Her knees were becoming numb and lips turning blue. She swallowed down her fear. There was no point in being afraid anymore. Her end was close. She couldn't understand why Victoria was taking so long to finish it. Edward was gone. Bella couldn't bear to gaze upon his broken body. It was too painful. She wondered where Seth was. Had he been killed too? The thought sickened her. He was so young. He shouldn't have died this way. It was all her fault. It was her actions that had led to this. She may have tried to redeem herself in the other reality, but in her own world she was forced to witness the consequences of her actions in all their devastating glory.

Jacob filled her mind. She wished she could have had one last moment with him to say goodbye. To tell him how much she loved him, how his love and support had changed her life, had changed who she was. She thought about Leah and Sam. What would happen to them now? Young Seth, all of the pack. They had come to mean so much to her. What about her father? Poor Charlie, he had been trying so hard to reconnect with her. She loved him, she loved them all. Bella hung her head. She didn't want Victoria to see her cry. She wanted to maintain one last shred of dignity. Her long hair fell around her face, hiding the tears. There was still so much she didn't understand or know. Now she never would. "I love you, Jacob." She said aloud in her head. "I'm so sorry I let you down."

Time seemed to pass slowly. Bella kept her head bent; the tears dripped out of her eyes, slid down her nose and fell onto the snowy ground. As much as she tried to dampen down the well of despair in her heart, she couldn't let it go. So many had been sacrificed for this, she had been so blinkered. She had drifted through her days with Edward, seeing nothing but what she wanted. Her selfishness knew no bounds. This was the end she deserved. To die alone without the man she loved, it was the ultimate punishment, to be shown everything she could have had, only for it be torn out of her grasp at the last moment.

"Stop crying."

Bella's head jerked upright at the sound of Victoria's harsh voice. She gulped, trying to stem the flow of tears. They were blurring her vision. She blinked rapidly trying to focus. To her surprise Victoria was no longer looming above her, braced to attack. She was now sitting in the snow a few feet away. Her legs were crossed in front of her, elbows resting on her knees. Her body was bowed forward. She no longer looked like a triumphant killer; instead an aura of defeat swirled around her.

"Why aren't you ending it?" Bella asked. She hated the quaver in her voice but she couldn't stop it. "You've killed Edward. Now kill me."

"I forgot how melodramatic you humans can be." Victoria snapped irritably. Her eyes drifted toward Edward's broken body. "Although, even my kind can be prone to it."

"What?" Bella was having a hard time controlling her breathing. She didn't understand what the hell was going on. Did Victoria really think they were going to sit down and have a congenial conversation after she had spent months trying to kill her? "You've got your revenge. I'm here. Why are you waiting? End it."

"Revenge?" Victoria's red eyes blazed. Suddenly she was very much the vindictive vampire that Bella had come to know. But then her shoulders slumped and she drooped forward, as if even moving was an effort. "You stupid, stupid child!" She spat. "Have you learned nothing?"

"Is this some kind of life lesson?" Bella asked incredulously. A lump lodged in her throat. She was tripping again, she had to be. Victoria was squeezing the life out of her and her oxygen deprived brain was trying to compensate with this bizarre dream. Her fears left her as she confronted her nemesis. "You have done nothing but torment me from day one. You're playing some sick, twisted game and the only one who knows the rules is you. You've torn my world apart. You've sacrificed innocent people to get your revenge on me for James getting killed…."

Victoria let out a low hiss. She spun around, rising gracefully to her feet, but again this seemed to cost her. "I HATED JAMES." She screamed. The words reverberated off the mountain, echoing over and over.

Bella scooted backwards, her throat closing in fear. "You loved him." She whispered.

Victoria was pacing now. She was riled up, agitated. But still the effort of walking seemed to tire her. This confused Bella. Vampires had inexhaustible energy reserves. She remained silent as she listened to Victoria mutter to herself. "Time is running out. I am sick of repeating myself. It was supposed to work this time. The order of events was different. I killed him." Her stern gaze drifted to Edward. She sneered, fists curling tightly before she slowly returned her attention to Bella. "I have tried so hard to change things. But you, you keep making it so difficult." Victoria tapped the side of her head sharply. "It's something in here. It's blocking me. I haven't been able to guide you, to show you what I needed, what I wanted. No, you have wandered off alone, doing your own thing, following the same path, always forcing the same outcome."

"I don't understand." Bella replied helplessly. "All you've done is try and kill me. I've been going back and forth between these two time zones. I…."

"Shut up." Victoria interrupted angrily. "I have had enough of your whiny excuses. I have listened to them over and over. I send you back. It all goes wrong. I am forced to explain myself. Then I send you back again and on and on it goes."

"Then explain it to me." Bella cried. "I don't understand any of it. If it isn't about vengeance than what is it?"

Victoria became as still as a statue. Her red eyes bored into Bella as if they could see into her very soul. "It's about love." She said quietly. "Isn't that worth sacrificing everything for?"

* * *

"I wasn't trying to kill you." Victoria explained. She was sitting opposite Bella again. She seemed exhausted. The fire had gone from her eyes, her body was limp. It seemed an effort to hold her head upright. "Moving you between time zones expends a great deal of energy. You assume that vampires have unlimited reserves of it, but sending you back over and over has proven otherwise." A light breeze ruffled Victoria's curls. She flicked at her bangs irritably. "If I was able to I would have gone back myself, but once you're dead, you're dead, your very soul has already moved on. But yours hasn't. You're still breathing."

Bella could hear the underlying resentment in Victoria's tone. She gazed at the vampire warily. Even now not trusting what she was telling her. A sudden longing to be back with Jacob, lying in his arms, somewhere she felt safe, loved, washed over her. She kept hoping the longer Victoria spoke, the more chance she had of returning back to him. But as each moment passed, she knew that she was stuck there.

"There is a place in time, between life and death, where you are able to move between worlds. I learned of it only when I was facing my own death." Victoria raised her left arm. She turned her wrist over for Bella to see. The smooth marble skin looked unbroken, perfect. There was neither a scar nor a blemish. Then a shaft of sunlight hit the spot just below the palm of her hand revealing a silvery scar in the shape of a familiar bite mark. "We are connected you and I. We have both had James' venom run through our veins. You were lucky. I was not." She continued bitterly. "Edward Cullen may have sucked out most of the venom from your blood, but some remains."

Bella felt her wrist itch. She held her breath as she glanced at her own scar, an exact match for Victoria's. No wonder it burned when Jacob touched it. "It was James who changed you." She clarified.

"Yes." Victoria's gaze became misty as she became lost in the past. "He was a sadistic, narcissistic man in his human life. As a vampire this increased tenfold. He got pleasure out of his sick games. He groomed me. He wanted to make me into the image of himself."

Bella was horrified. She didn't know what to say. She had never imagined anything like this. She clasped her hands together in her lap to stop them shaking. "I never thought."

"No, Bella Swan, that is your whole problem. You never think. Edward Cullen was grooming you. You never realised that. Others tried to open your eyes, but you were too infatuated to see it. He was following his mentor's path. Carlisle Cullen groomed him, like he did all the others that he included in his so called family. The good doctor wanted to create the perfect family, so he cherry picked the ones that suited him best." Victoria sneered. "It's what vampires do. It's how we survive. It's what I was doing with Riley." She paused, her eyes drifting heavenward. "It's just while I was doing so I fell in love with him." Her voice became soft, hypnotic. "He was so different from James, so gallant, so sweet….he treated me like a goddess. I had never had that before." Then her eyes hardened as she retuned her attention to Bella. "Then I lost him because of you."

"I didn't do anything to Riley. You brought him here to this place. You placed him in danger….." Bella faltered.

"Be quiet." Victoria seethed. "Before I forget why I'm doing all this and kill you anyway."

Bella could see the hysteria building within Victoria. Despite her apparent weakness, she was still very dangerous. Bella fought her own rising panic. The red head was unpredictable. For all she knew Victoria was feeding her a load of bullshit.

"Now shut up and just listen." Victoria snarled viciously. "There is a reason James, Laurent and I crossed paths with you and the Cullen's that day. To me it was the perfect opportunity. We had been in the area for a while. I began to learn bits and pieces about the handsome doctor and his family. James remained the vindictive ignorant fool he was. He was spoiling for a fight so I thought I would give him one. I spied on the Cullen's comings and goings. I found out about Edward's fascination with you. I decided to use it to my advantage. I wanted rid of James. I couldn't do it alone. I wasn't strong enough to escape his control over me. He was too sly for that. But a chance encounter with another coven. Yes, that would spark his interest, especially if there was an innocent human involved."

"Me." Bella whispered.

"It was supposed to be easy. James would begin to play his sick, twisted game. The Cullen's would be forced to kill him. Seven against one, the odds were in the Cullen's favour. But no, the fucking doctor and his twisted sense of honour among vampires got in the way. It escalated further than I could imagine. James attacked you, he infected you with his venom, and we were both doomed."

"That doesn't make sense. James was destroyed. You had your freedom. You got what you wanted." Bella said exasperatedly. "Why come after me?"

"You stupid, stupid child." Victoria cursed. "I have already told you we are connected. No vampire is ordinary. We all have special gifts even if they are small. Edward Cullen lied to you about that. His coven was not unique. James' venom was distinctive. It binds those who it infects. Their destinies become entwined. If you die I die. I had fallen in love with Riley by this point. He became the sole focus of my existence. I wanted forever with him and he with me. That's when I knew I needed to do something about you. I couldn't risk you dying randomly and ending my dream before it started. So I tried to approach you. The Cullen's had left. It was the perfect opportunity to take you, but…."

"Jake and his pack got in your way." Bella gasped.

"They made me so angry." Victoria's hands curled into fists. She was vibrating with anger. "They were getting in the way of my happily ever after. I deserved it. I had endured years of hell under James' influence. I began to notice how close you were to one particular shifter." Her gaze turned calculating. "I began to see the same look on your face as I wore when I looked at Riley. You were falling in love, properly this time. Then you had to go and do something really dumb. You jumped off the damn cliff and ruined everything. Your stupidity made the Cullen's return. Now there was no chance of getting near you with the wolves and them protecting you. My hand was forced. I had no choice but to create the newborns. I knew my time was limited. Because of your foolishness the Volturi was involved. Then it all went to hell. I lost Riley anyway."

Bella couldn't breathe. She didn't know what to think or feel. Victoria was crazy that wasn't in question, but the worst part of it all, was she reminded Bella of herself, selfish to the core. She was willing to sacrifice innocent lives just so she could have her perfect forever. It was like holding a mirror up to who she had been. Jacob's pack, her father, Billy, they had strived to keep her alive. All those innocent street children, who had been turned into newborns against their will, they had died because she had thought she wanted forever with Edward. It was too awful to contemplate that she had been so self-absorbed and blinkered that none of this had occurred to her. Rosalie had tried to make her see. Even Charlie, ignorant of Edward's true nature, had done his best to open her eyes. But throughout she had closed herself off to others sacrifices. What did that make her?

A deep longing for Jacob consumed her. She wanted him so badly. He had made her see. He had opened her eyes. He was the natural path her life should have taken. The love they shared was special. What they had transcended romance. It was a relationship of equals. They shared a deeper level of understanding, devotion, love and protectiveness that was borne out of a deep friendship. It wasn't just about soul mates; it was so much bigger than that. And that was why Bella was finally able to look Victoria in the eyes. She wasn't her. The same venom may run through their veins which ultimately bonded their lives together, but she was different. She had changed. She had grown beyond her teenage obsession with Edward and blossomed as she found a pure soul that connected with her own. Victoria would never change, no matter how much she spouted about finding love with Riley. She would forever remain a selfish creature, battling to get what she wanted, not caring who she sacrificed along the way.

"What do you want from me?" Bella asked coolly. She was calm now.

"I have one last chance to send you back." Victoria sounded weary, exhausted. The fire in her eyes was dying. "I tried to warn you that time was running out. Every time you came back I warned you." Now Bella understood the reference to the ticking clock. "You have to try and remember this conversation the next time I send you. There will be no going back again. You have to stop your wolf boy from killing me in the other time line. I die, you die. Do you understand? I have told you this countless times before but something in your infernal brain blocks me every time. Something was different the last time. There was a change. I couldn't see what it was. Your wolf boy killed me, but I was able to kill him." Her red eyes flicked to Edward. "Riley's life is hanging in the balance. You save him, I'll save you. Are we clear?"

"Crystal." Bella replied sardonically. "Now send me back home."

Victoria's lips twitched. A mistrustful expression crossed her cat like features. "Don't think you can outwit me." She warned Bella. "And it is not your home. You belong in this world, not that one. Remember that."

Bella stiffened as Victoria darted forward and placed her hands around her throat. She felt the pressure as the vampire's cold fingers began to squeeze. Black spots made her vision blur as she began to lose consciousness. She was drifting, drifting, fighting to remember, to find her sense of self. Her soul shifted in her mortal body as she entered that realm where time stood still. She was dying by inches. Bella's head ached, her throat burned from the pressure of fighting for air. She clawed at the hands trying to squeeze the life out of her but felt nothing. Bella fought to remain sentient. Victoria was sending her back into the past again. She was going to have to relive everything all over again. Bella didn't want that. She wanted to go back to the same point where she had left. She had been lying on the Black's old couch, resting. She had been waiting for Jacob to come home. That was the point she wanted to return to. Victoria wasn't going to control her life. She was in charge. She had to be mentally strong enough to force her soul to go where it truly belonged, back home, back to the man she loved, back to Jacob.

Something shifted in Bella's head. The pain was agonising. It felt like a key had been turned in her mind, opening up a fountain of possibilities. The darkness turned to light. The pain eased as her eyes opened. She gasped, breathing in the fresh air. She had made it, she was home. She twisted her head, eyes bleary as she heard the sound of sobbing. Billy was next to the couch, his head bent, eyes wet with tears.

"Billy." Bella rasped.

The older man raised his head, his eyes wide with fear. "Bella, you're alive."

"You better believe it." Bella tried to smile but it came out as more of a grimace. Her throat was on fire.

"You had another seizure. Your heart stopped. I couldn't do anything. I was trapped in this damn chair…." Tears ran down his lined face. His hand trembled as he reached for Bella's. "I should never have told you to rest. I should never…"

"I'm okay." Bella assured Billy. She tried to rise but felt weak. "Is Jacob back yet?"

"No." Billy shook his head. "Oh, my dear." He was still shaking with distress.

There was a smell of burning. Bella fell back on the couch, too exhausted to move. "Billy, I think the food is burning." She pointed out wearily.

Billy let out a strangled laugh. "Trust you to be thinking of that at a time like this." He shook his head in disbelief. "I'll be back in a second." He patted Bella's hand before wheeling his chair toward the kitchen to turn off the stove.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	24. Chapter 24

**Back to the Beginning**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 _ **Events are at a pivotal point for our Jacob and Bella. She has managed to return to the right time frame at the very moment she left. Will she forget her conversation with Victoria upon her return like all those times before? When we left Jacob, he and his pack were about to finish Victoria off. Did he go through with it after Victoria yelled at him that if she died Bella would too? Read on and find out what happens next….**_

 **Part Twenty Three**

Jacob paced up and down First beach. The storm was still raging. His black hair was plastered to his head. He could barely keep his eyes open under the torrential rain. His tan skin was slick with water. The sky was as black as night. Only the occasional flash of lightening would brighten the sky for a second, before the inevitable rumble of thunder followed. Any sane person would be inside seeking shelter, but Jacob couldn't. Neither could his brothers. Out of the darkness Sam appeared. He jogged over to his leader, face stern, hiding his own rising panic. "She's holed up in that small cavern over there. You have to make a decision, Jacob. We need to end this. She's lying." He struggled to make himself heard above the noise of the storm.

"We don't know that." Jacob yelled back at his beta. "I can't take the risk."

"We were so close." Sam swiped at his face irritably. He was being blinded by the driving rain. "Let's end this now. She's just trying to delay things so she can escape again."

"We've got her under guard." Jacob replied. "I need time to think. I have to go home and talk to Bella."

Sam growled irritably. "Jake, I know you love Bella. But you're letting your feelings cloud your judgement. She'll be fine. We can't guard the red head indefinitely. She has endless reserves of energy. She never sleeps, but we do. The strongest wolves need to be the ones to deal with her, which includes just you, me and Paul." His voice quietened. "And you know how impatient Lahote can get. One wrong word from the vamp and he'll have her head off her shoulders before you can blink."

Sam's words riled Jacob. He glared at him angrily. "If it were Leah, would you take the risk?" He demanded, driving his point home. He watched as Sam lowered his head, hiding his expression. "You won't even risk looking her cousin in the eyes. So how can you ask me to do the same? This is Bella's life here." His hands curled into fists. "As for Paul he'll do as he's told. I'll Alpha order him to keep his temper in check."

"I understand what you're saying." Sam said eventually. He sighed heavily. "But this weather is only making things worse. One wrong move and this could come back to bite us. Like I said, we can only contain her in this area for so long. Once the storm is over, people are going to be a problem. You can't hide huge wolves sitting in the front entrance of a small cavern."

"I know." Jacob ran his fingers through his wet hair agitatedly. He was being ripped apart inside. This was the first time since phasing that he was unsure what to do. His fear of anything happening to the girl he loved was undermining his ability to lead and make confident choices. The vampire was probably lying. The cold ones would say anything to save themselves, but there was always that what if? "Let me go and speak to Bella." Jacob continued quietly. "Then I'll work out what to do."

Sam nodded. There wasn't much more to say. It wasn't like he didn't understand Jacob's dilemma. His Alpha was right, if it were Leah, he would hold back too. But he also knew that they were running out of time. The red head was a devious bitch and not to be trusted. Sam was convinced it was just a ruse so she could gain some time. She might have accomplices somewhere, waiting to strike. He watched as Jacob disappeared into the night before phasing back into his wolf form and re-joining his brothers.

* * *

"Bella." Billy peered at her face worriedly. She had been sitting stock still for the last ten minutes, eyes wide. She appeared confused, disorientated. When she had first awoken from her seizure, she had been tired but alert, now that had changed. "Bella." He said in a gentler tone. "Are you feeling okay?"

"I think so." Bella slowly came to life. She blinked a few times, before gazing around the room anxiously. "What's going on?"

"You just woke up." Billy reminded her. "I went to turn off the stove. The food was burning."

That caught her attention. A faint smile crossed her pretty face. "Yes, I was cooking."

"You were, but I told you to rest." Billy felt a lump lodge in his throat. He couldn't shake his guilt. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that."

"Why?" Bella's brown eyes were clouded with confusion. Something was nagging at her, something she was supposed to remember. She glanced around the room again. Why was she here? She didn't remember paying a visit to the Black's. She could hear the storm raging outside. The rain was drumming violently on the roof of the house. Her head hurt. She touched her temple gingerly. "Where's Jacob?" She asked. There was a rising panic building up inside her chest. Her nails dug into the soft material of the old couch as she tried to steady her nerves.

"He's out with the others." Billy told her. "Look Bella, I'm worried about you. You don't look well."

An image of Victoria rose in Bella's mind. Her hands shook as she grasped at her throat. It was burning. She could feel Victoria's cold fingers wrapped around her neck, squeezing the life out of her. It was the last thing she recalled with any clarity. So why was she here? Was she dying? Was this some bizarre trippy dream she was experiencing. She frowned, trying to piece her fragmented thoughts together. This feeling was all too familiar. "Where's Jacob?" She pleaded with Billy again.

"He'll be back so…." Billy was interrupted as the front door crashed open; it slammed shut again just as quickly. Jacob burst into the room; his hair and body dripping with water. His shorts clung to him like a second skin. "Son, what is it?" Billy faltered. He was still in shock over Jacob's dramatic entrance.

"Not now, dad." Jacob was already kneeling in front of Bella. His dark eyes roamed her face, drinking her in. She was gazing back at him in trepidation. "Oh, Bella." Jacob grabbed her into a tight bear hug. He heard her gasp and loosened his hold a little so she could breathe. His fingers fisted in her hair as he pressed her small body onto his. He needed to feel her, to hold her close. He forgot that he was soaking wet. The water seeped into Bella's clothes, making her shiver. Jacob felt her shudder in his embrace and released her. "I'm sorry." He apologised thickly. He held her face between his hands and gazed deeply into her eyes adoringly. It took him a moment to realise she appeared dazed, confused. "Honey?"

"Jake." Bella whispered. She gazed back at him helplessly. Her mind was a welter of confusion. Her body reacted to him instantly. She was already seeking solace in him, but her brain was taking a moment to catch up. "What's happening?"

"We caught Victoria."

Bella inhaled sharply. She clutched at him wildly, her fingers digging into his skin painfully. This news was unexpected. Her heart was racing at a hundred miles an hour. Jacob was cupping the back of her head now. He pressed her cheek against his hot chest. Bella closed her eyes, trying to contain her shock and bewilderment. She hadn't expected this. Caught Victoria? It didn't make sense to her. Her head was a mass of jumbled thoughts. She tried to concentrate.

Jacob pressed a kiss into Bella's hair. He couldn't contain his relief that she was okay. He was so wrapped up in her that he didn't notice Billy's attempts to gain his attention. His father had to forcefully say his name before Jacob raised his head looked Billy's way. "What is it?"

"Bella had another seizure." Billy said in a low voice so Bella wouldn't overhear. "She has not been herself since."

Jacob's blood ran cold. He stared at his father in shock for a moment as he tried to contain his rising panic. Was this a connection to what Victoria had told them? He instinctively held onto Bella tighter. He gathered her in his arms and lifted her. Bella was a bundle of tension. He could feel how taut she was. This wasn't like her; she usually melted in his embrace. He didn't like it. Ignoring any further explanation from Billy Jacob carried Bella to his room and kicked the door shut behind him. He leaned against it, closing his eyes for a few seconds so he could regain his composure. It wasn't until he felt in control again that he walked over to his bed and placed Bella on it very carefully.

"I'm scared."

Bella sounded so young, so frightened and confused. "Don't be scared." Jacob soothed her. "I'm here. You're safe." He kissed her then, unable to stop himself. He felt her soft lips purse under his. She seemed hesitant, unsure. This wasn't her normal reaction. He pulled back, studying her face. Her skin was flushed, brown eyes wide with surprise. "Bella." He breathed. "Bella."

It was like her confusion suddenly lifted. His touch, the feel of his burning lips pressed to hers. It was like the kiss of life. Her memories came tumbling back helter skelter, frying her brain. Bella closed her eyes, her mouth crashing onto his. Their lips remained fused together as Jacob fell back on the bed, Bella toppling with him. She continued to kiss him fiercely, intensely. She switched so she was sitting astride him, her body leaning forward, fingers exploring his firm chest. His skin burned under her touch. She no longer felt disorientated or dazed. She remembered everything. The fog of confusion lifted as soon as he kissed her. He was like the handsome prince awakening sleeping beauty with a simple kiss. But there was nothing simple about the way he kissed her. This was no fairy tale. This was raw, passionate emotion. It was real. The electricity sparked between them.

Jacob groaned, running his hands up and down Bella's back, pushing up the material of her shirt so he could feel the smooth skin underneath. His fingers tickled her spine, gliding down until he reached her tiny waist, then clutching it firmly between his hands. Their lips parted as they needed to draw breath. Jacob stared up into Bella's eyes, his gaze travelling down to her uneven pout, smiling at her lips swollen from his ardent kisses. "I love you so much." He declared fervently, his voice thick.

"I love you more." Bella repeated his earlier refrain. She gazed down at him, adoringly. "I was losing myself." She confessed. Her eyes were bright, lambent. "But you brought me back. I remember everything."

"Bella." Jacob brought her lips down to his and kissed her again. His mouth was urgent on hers. Time was running out, it was slipping through his fingers. He wanted to hold onto this moment forever, put off for an eternity what he was about to tell her, but he couldn't. Frustration built up in his chest as he continued to kiss her, feeling his body react to her touch, the desire rippled through him until it was a burning ache that he needed to fulfil. But he couldn't, even now the storm outside was quietening even though the storm within was welling up inside him. He sighed; ending the kiss, his fingers stilling Bella's wandering hands. "Bella, we need to talk." He said reluctantly.

"I know." Bella felt everything he felt. His pain was her pain. That hadn't changed. She climbed off of him and settled next to him on the bed as he sat up.

"You heard what I said about Victoria." Jacob began slowly.

"You've captured her." Bella replied pensively. She glanced at him anxiously. "Something stopped you killing her."

Jacob nodded. He was bemused. She didn't seem surprised by this revelation. He suddenly recalled what Billy had tried to tell him. Bella had another seizure. God, he had let his chaotic emotions overwhelm him so much he hadn't even let that news sink in. He had just been so relieved to see that she was alive. Victoria's threats had nearly broken him. He dropped his head to her shoulder and breathed her in. "I'm so sorry."

Bella sank her fingers into his hair. It was drying now. She combed through the soft strands at the nape of his neck. "You don't need to be sorry about anything." She said in understanding. "I went back, Jacob. I know."

"You know?" Jacob raised his head in surprise.

Bella began to explain what had happened during his absence. Her words came tumbling out, so fast that it was hard for Jacob to keep up. He touched her face with the softest caress, urging her to take a deep breath and slow down. He smiled his special smile and Bella felt a warm glow inside. She did as he asked and tried to swallow down her hysteria. It was so difficult to describe what Victoria had told her. It was so fantastical that any sane person would think she was crazy. But to her relief Jacob wasn't questioning her sanity. He asked a few pertinent questions, gently guiding her in the right direction. "I was losing my memory of it." Bella admitted toward the end. "I was so close to forgetting…."

"Hush." Jacob cradled the back of her head as he held her trembling body close to his heart. "You're strong, my Bella. You did it. I'm so proud of you." He was surprised that his voice sounded so steady. Inside he was crumbling. He had come so close to losing her. "We're going to find a way to break this connection." He vowed. "I promise you."

Bella knew it wasn't that simple. She had no idea if the Victoria in her own reality had a clue that she had managed to return to this point in time. Bella knew it had been her love for Jacob and her resolve to get back to him that had aided in her quest to return. It had been so close. _If he and his pack had killed Victoria_ ….she didn't let herself finish that thought. She had to concentrate on the here and now. "What are we going to do about her?" She asked worriedly, referring to the Victoria who was captured and being guarded in the small cavern near the cliffs on First beach.

Jacob was quiet for a moment as he mulled over what to do. Sam was right; they couldn't continue to stand guard over Victoria while they figured out how to break the connection between the red headed demon and Bella. It was impossible. Even if they weren't going to be in plain sight of the human population once the storm burnt out, they couldn't keep Victoria contained indefinitely. Somewhere along the line one of them would slip up, and she would either escape anyway or further tragedy could occur. If Victoria died, Bella died. Even though it went against all of Jacob's better instincts he had no choice. He wouldn't risk Bella's life. "Until we figure out a solution, I'm gonna have to let this Victoria go." He admitted regretfully. "I don't have a choice."

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	25. Chapter 25

**Back to the Beginning**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews and for still following this story.**_

 **Part Twenty Four**

It was the words _no choice_ which pulled Bella out of her funk. There was always a choice. No matter how scary it was to make the decision to change things, sometimes you had to just go with your gut feeling. Isn't that what she had been doing since she had landed in this time line? She had been trying to change things for the better. She had been so desperate to make things up to Jacob. In her world she had hurt him so badly. Her selfish decisions had caused a lot of pain to good people who didn't deserve it. Bella didn't know when she had become such a selfish person. Had she been like that her whole life? She wasn't quite sure anymore. Being so self-absorbed meant that the only memories you carried in your heart were bitter ones. But she hoped that she was learning her lesson and that she was changing. She didn't want it to happen here. She didn't want anyone to sacrifice themselves on her behalf, so many had already done that in her reality. Innocents had lost their lives because of her, all those street kids which made up the newborn army, Riley too. He would never have become embroiled with Victoria if not for her and her involvement with the Cullen's.

Now it was happening here. Jacob was being forced to sacrifice everything he believed in all because of his love for her. Bella had vowed not to hurt him again, to cause him pain, but here she was doing that very thing. Her selfish need to return to him, instead of allowing Victoria to send her where she was supposed to go, had thrown up a conundrum none of them could fix. Riley was already dead here, changed into a vampire. The Victoria in this universe was already set on her destructive path to create an army. How long until the Volturi got wind of it and came to investigate. Aro and the others would find out about the wolves, they would be placed in danger, all to protect her sorry ass.

Time was repeating itself. It was all leading to the same conclusion. It might have taken a different path to get there, but still the same things were happening. If Jacob let Victoria go instead of ending her existence like he was supposed to, then all those street kids in Seattle would lose their lives again. The newborn army would still come to La Push. The Volturi would become involved creating the same dangers as before. Everything Bella had tried to achieve here would come to naught. It would all end the same. This is what Victoria had been trying to tell her and she hadn't understood. Every time that the red head sent her back, whatever she did or didn't try to change, it all led to the same end. Only one thing had changed in her reality, and that was that Victoria had ended Edward's life. What ripple effect Bella had created here to cause that in her own time line she didn't know. One thing was for certain though, Jacob had to kill Victoria here, otherwise innocents would die, and Bella couldn't have that on her conscience again. She couldn't be that selfish. It would make her no better than Victoria was.

It was the ultimate sacrifice. To save Jacob, to save them all, she was going to have to give him up. The very thought killed her. She loved him so much. He was everything to her. It was a painful lesson to learn that _her_ forever had been staring her in the face since she was a young child. Now she was going to lose him. It was clear now where she had been going wrong this whole time. By forcing her to relive her past Victoria had opened her eyes to the natural path her life should have taken. All roads led straight to Jacob. Hadn't he been the first person she ran to when Victoria had sent her back. She now knew she must have done this countless times. Every instance that Victoria returned her to the past, she had done the same thing, sought out the only one who could offer her comfort, who loved her and kept her safe. She hadn't begged Edward to stay when she had been sent back. She had told him to go. Then she had gone running to Jacob and events had been set in motion.

Bella clung to Jacob, hiding her face in the crook of his neck. She breathed him in, trying to memorise his scent, the softness of his skin. The way his arms felt as he held her. She raised her head, eyes glistening with tears, as she slowly traced her shaking fingers over his face, trying to memorise every dip and curve so it was embedded in her memory for eternity. It was heart breaking. She had found the love of her life, but now she was going to lose him. She understood Victoria's pain; she empathised with why the crazed red head was expending all her efforts into trying to save Riley. But Bella couldn't be that selfish, not anymore. She wouldn't sacrifice other's lives just so she could have one of her own. What was that quote? If you love someone, set them free. If they come back they're yours; if they don't they never were. How true that was for her right now.

"You have to end her, Jacob." Bella said quietly. "You can't let her run free. She'll kill again."

Jacob captured Bella's trembling fingers when they reached his lips. He held them painfully in his. The deadness in her voice was scaring him. "It won't come to that." He tried to keep his voice steady. Panic was rising in his gut making it churn. "We'll figure something out."

"There is no time. You know that." Bella whispered. A sad smile crossed her face as she gazed into the deep pools of his eyes. She saw the fear and it almost made her resolve break.

"If she dies, you die." Jacob ground out. "I won't do it. There has to be another way."

"There is no other way." Bella couldn't contain her tears any longer. They spilled out of her eyes and slithered down her cheeks. "I understand that now." She saw his mouth open, ready to protest but she placed the fingers of her free hand over his lips, quietening him. "I love you so much. I crossed time over and over to get back to you."

Jacob's dark eyes were glistening now. He shook his head in denial. "Don't Bella." He yanked her hand away from his mouth and pulled her back into his arms. He cupped the back of her head, pressing her head against his chest. She could hear his heart thumping under his hot skin as if it was threatening to burst out of his chest. "Don't break my heart, Bella. Just don't. Don't ask me to let you go because I can't. I love you. We'll work something out, we'll find a way to break the bond you have with that red headed bitch. We just need some time."

Bella closed her eyes. She was doing it again, hurting him. A deep longing to be selfish one last time coursed through her. She wanted to remain in his arms forever. She longed to get married, to have his children. She wanted to grow old with him, watch their children grow up and have some of their own. She could almost see it, feel it, and touch it. It was just within reach. Then the darkness returned. She couldn't do it. She wouldn't be Victoria. She wouldn't sacrifice innocent lives so she could have her own happy ever after. Those street children who had died at Victoria's hands deserved a future too. So did Riley. So did all of Victoria's victims.

Bella pressed her lips against Jacob's warm skin, her fingers fumbling for the wolf charm hanging around her neck. She raised her head, her eyes drinking in his beloved face one last time. She tried not to let his stricken expression break her. It was time to go. "I love you, Jacob. May we meet again."

The last thing she heard was him desperately calling her name before she collapsed in his arms…

* * *

" _Bella, did you hear what I said." Bella found herself standing in her driveway, next to her old truck. The iron monster felt cold under her touch where she rested her hand on the hood. Edward was beside her, his expression inscrutable. Bella stared up at him with dull eyes. "Bella, come for a walk with me." Edward took her hand, his fingers lightly holding hers. He was acting as if her touch burned. This scene was all too familiar._

So, here she was, back to the beginning. Only this time she remembered everything…

 _Bella shook her head, gazing at him. Her eyes wandered from his face, examining the clothes he was wearing. Edward never wore the same things twice, but these she had seen countless times. They were burned in her memory. It was the same light grey shirt, unbuttoned to reveal a white V-necked tee underneath, and teamed with dark blue jeans. She was going to be forced to relive the whole conversation again. She could have cried._

" _Just come." Edward tugged on her hand, motioning for her to follow._

" _NO." Bella snapped. She spoke louder than she intended but she didn't give a shit._

 _Edward winced but he recovered his poise quickly. "Bella, we won't go far."_

" _Fuck off, Edward." Bella said tonelessly. She was so tired, so bored of having to go through this same tiresome conversation. "Just go. I don't care. I don't love you. I never did. Not really. This whole thing means nothing to me. You mean nothing."_

 _Edward didn't manage to hide his shock. His golden brown eyes flashed with pain at her barbed words. Bella just stared at him listlessly. She didn't have the energy to soothe his shattered ego. Let his family do that. She was sure that Carlisle, Alice and the others would help him lick his wounds. After all didn't they always do what Edward wanted?_

" _Bella, you don't mean that." Edward's face was full of torment._

" _I mean every word." Bella finished coldly. "You are a coward, Edward. We have that in common. Did you know that? We're both selfish creatures too. Instead of facing the consequences you're running away and leaving me to deal with the aftermath. Well off you go. I would say Bon Voyage, but that would mean I actually gave a shit where you go. Sayonara." She gave him a mocking salute before spinning on her heel and running clumsily toward the house._

 _Edward didn't follow…._

* * *

Bella stayed with her back pressed against the front door and her knees drawn up to her chest until her limbs grew stiff. Her eyes were sore from crying so much. She was fighting the urge to climb into her truck and run to Jacob. But it would just start the whole process again. At least before she had no memory of her time travelling, but now she knew everything which made it all so much worse.

The old gaping wound in her chest was wide open, but it wasn't aching for Edward this time, but for Jacob. Bella was close to hysteria. She hoped she would be strong enough to resist but her body was craving his touch, her soul was crying out for him. If this was hell then she was in it right now. She clenched her hands into fists, beating at the floor, gritting her teeth. She wanted to scream, to let the whole world feel her pain.

What was she supposed to do now? Wait for Victoria to come and claim her. Was that the plan? "I'm right back where you wanted me, bitch. What do you want me to do now? Huh. ANSWER ME!"

There was a sudden crash. Bella started, rising to her feet in shock. Blood pooled in her numbed limbs preventing her from running. She waited. Her brown eyes wide with fear and back pressed against the front door. This hadn't happened before. Who was it? Victoria? Bella's heart stuttered in her chest. Panic bubbled up in her throat threatening to make her vomit. But then the last person she expected to see appeared in her line of sight. She had to be dreaming. She had to. Her longing for him had conjured his image up in her fevered imagination. Either way she didn't care.

Bella's body sprang to life. She ran toward him, flinging herself into his arms, clutching at him like a woman drowning. She expected him to vanish like a ghost in the mist but when she connected with his warm, hard body she was jolted back into reality. This was no vision. This was real flesh and blood. He was here. "Jacob." She breathed in awe. She gazed at him, her eyes roaming his beloved face. He was panting as if he'd been running hard. His eyes were wild as if coming down from a high. He closed them, inhaling sharply. Then he opened them again, seeming calmer, more focused. Her surprise at seeing him slowly turned to confusion. He shouldn't be here. It was impossible. This wasn't the Jacob from her timeline. This was _her_ Jacob, the man she loved and had been forced to leave behind. "What have you done?"

Jacob cupped her face between his warm hands. He leaned forward pressing his forehead against hers. He closed his eyes again and swallowed thickly. It took him a moment to respond as if he was trying to make sense of what had just happened to him. "You were having another seizure. You were fading right before my eyes. I had to do something." He confessed eventually. "So, I phased so I could follow you."

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading! It seems Jacob's theory was true after all. Hell in a handbasket what will happen now!**_


	26. Chapter 26

**Back to the Beginning**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews. I really appreciate it.**_

 **Part Twenty Five**

Bella's heart pounded thunderously in her chest, her pulse echoing in her ears. She couldn't believe he was here. Her fingers sank into his hair, and before she knew it was happening she tightened her grip and pulled his lips onto her own. They scrambled in a tangle of limbs as Jacob pushed her gently back against the wall, not once breaking their kiss. He leaned over her, his hands combing through her hair and tracing her arms and brushing against the smooth skin of her cheeks. Jacob continued to kiss her in exultation. Bella smouldered under his touch, a moan building at the base of her throat. Jacob's lips brushed her ear, finally landing on her neck. He moved inch by inch, kissing her slowly, deliberately, exploring her neck with his lips and tongue. When his tongue grazed against her skin Bella shuddered. She felt his fingers skim across the exposed skin of her stomach, lifting her shirt higher. He spanned her waist; his fingers gripping tight as he suddenly lifted her, pressing his hot body to hers. Bella wrapped her arms and legs around him, drawing him impossibly closer. She wanted to feel him, to make sure he was real, and not something conjured up by her fevered imagination. But every burning touch of his lips and hands proved otherwise.

He broke from her suddenly, breathing hard. "Bella, I was so scared I'd lost you."

"Oh, Jacob." Bella felt tears well in her eyes. She shuddered and clutched at his back reflexively. Their lips crashed together again, this kiss more intense, more desperate than the last one. Bella moaned his name as each touch; each caress burned her up from within. She loved him so much. She arched into his touch, seeking more. She never wanted to let him go ever again, she didn't know how she thought she could.

 _The front door opened…_

Jacob and Bella froze. "Shit." Jacob cursed as he slowly turned his head. He had been so lost in his reunion with Bella he had been totally unaware of anything going on around him. He felt Bella's nails dig into his skin. He glanced at her stricken expression before he dared to meet the narrowed eyes of Bella's father. Charlie Swan stared back at them, his jaw tense, and a vein popping on his forehead. The police chief was showing remarkable restraint, considering. His glare turned into a scowl before he swiftly exited the house, slamming the front door closed behind him.

* * *

"Well that never happened before." Bella muttered. Her skin was burning, and not from Jacob's close proximity. She was mortified. She didn't recall Charlie coming home this early when she had relived this part before. But then again she had fled to Jacob in La Push, so she wouldn't have known what time her father returned. Bella was too flustered to think straight. "What are we going to do?" She asked Jacob.

"Say hi I guess." Jacob shrugged nonchalantly as if it was no big deal.

Bella elbowed him in the side. "Say hi. Are you serious?" She frowned when she saw a grin forming at the corners of his mouth. "This isn't funny." She scolded him.

"It kinda is." Jacob laughed. "Did you see that vein on his forehead? I thought it was gonna explode."

"I can't believe you're being so calm about this." Bella continued in disbelief. "He saw us….." She felt her skin heat up again.

Jacob's amused grin faded to be replaced with a sweet smile. "Considering what we've already been through, Charlie catching us making out isn't that big a deal."

Bella felt her anxieties ease. He was right. It was pointless getting het up about that, but Carlie would still demand an explanation. Bella felt a headache begin to form between her eyes. She had no idea what was going to happen now Jacob was here. She was so thankful that he was, but still it was scary not knowing the ripple effect that his presence could cause. But for now she had to deal with her dad. "You stay right here. Don't move." Bella ordered Jacob firmly.

"You're so sexy when you're being all feisty." Jacob teased. He flashed her a mischievous smile.

"You're unbelievable." Bella replied exasperatedly. "We are in the midst of an existential crisis and you're flirting with me."

"Yeah and you love it." Jacob gave her a bold wink. His actions caused Bella to laugh despite herself. "That's what I like to see." Jacob had been baiting her deliberately in order to get her to relax. Being wound up wouldn't help their situation. They had to remain calm and fully focused. He caught a tendril of Bella's hair and curled it around his forefinger. "It's gonna be alright, honey. You're not alone in this. I'm here."

Bella blinked back her tears. She reached out and took his hand, squeezing his fingers gratefully. He was such a sweetheart. No words could describe the depths of love she felt for this guy. She had been feeling so alone, so desperate. One again Jacob had saved her. "I love you." She whispered softly before reluctantly letting go of his hand.

"Love you more." Jacob replied earnestly. Bella smiled at him one last time before she went outside to confront her father.

* * *

Charlie was sitting in the cruiser, his face hard, fingers drumming on the steering wheel. Bella felt his eyes boring into her as she walked clumsily down the driveway and climbed into the car beside him. Charlie turned to look at his daughter as she clicked the car door shut. They gazed at each other for a long moment. His jaw flexed when he saw Bella's skin flush red with embarrassment. "At least you have the grace to look ashamed."

"Ashamed?" Bella questioned. No, that word didn't sit well with her. "What part should I be ashamed about exactly?" She forgot to sound penitent and instead sounded accusing.

The vein on Charlie's forehead bulged again. He gazed at his daughter incredulously. "Well for…for…." He blustered. He couldn't find the words.

"What for doing what normal healthy teenagers do?" Bella raised her eyebrows. "Really dad I bet you and mom got up to much worse. I'm sorry that you saw me and Jacob kissing."

"He had you pinned against the wall. He…." Charlie shook his head, his skin burning as brightly as Bella's. "When did all this start? This morning you left to go to school with that Cullen boy and now I find you in flagrante with Billy's son."

When you put it like that it was hard to dispute. Bella tried to come up with a reasonable excuse but didn't know what to say. She supposed Charlie had every right to be pissed. She had been flung back and forth through so many time zones she was losing track of it altogether. "Um….." She fumbled around, trying to delay things as she gave her brain a chance to catch up.

"He's grown a foot taller overnight. I only saw him yesterday." Charlie's brow was furrowed in bemusement. "When did he cut his hair? He's gotten so big." His eyes slid to his daughter who was staring at her hands, carefully avoiding his gaze. "When did he start working out? And where did that damn tattoo come from? Billy is gonna flip when he sees that. And most of all why is he only half dressed." His temper surged again as he tried to burn the image of his daughter wrapped around Jacob from his brain. He rubbed his forehead vigorously.

"Dad, I'm sorry you had to um…see…well you know. But I thought you'd be happy. You hate Edward, right?" Bella smiled tentatively. "You've always loved Jacob like a son. You should be going _yay!_ " She lightly bumped her fist against Charlie's shoulder in a sign of celebration. "This is what you've wanted since forever."

"Who are you and what have you done with my daughter?" Charlie asked dubiously. "Have you hit your head again?"

"No I haven't hit my head." Bella complained irritably. "I'm in my right mind, thank you very much." She hoped so anyway. "It's up to you, dad. You can stay out here seething by yourself or you can come inside and shake Jacob's hand. It's up to you." She climbed out of the cruiser and slammed the door shut.

Charlie felt like he'd been played. He glared at his daughter suspiciously as he watched her march up the porch steps. This wasn't the Bella he was used to. She seemed to have switched personalities overnight. She was much more confident and certainly had no difficulty in speaking her mind. Charlie wound down his window and poked his head out. "I'll come inside but I'm definitely not shaking his hand." He yelled after his daughter.

Bella sighed heavily, deciding it was best just to ignore his theatrics. She headed inside the house, leaving the front door open for when her father decided to pull his head in and follow.

* * *

Charlie shook Jacob's hand. "I'd appreciate it if you wore a shirt in future if you're going to continue courting my daughter." He said gruffly. He couldn't quite meet Jacob's eyes. "In the meantime while you're here you can borrow one of mine." He shoved his favourite hunting shirt in Jacob's hands. It was the only one he had that was big enough to fit the boy.

"Sure, chief." Jacob saw Charlie scowl at his nonchalant tone. He shucked the shirt on over his shoulders. "Um…I mean thanks Charlie…sir." He continued desperately. Jeez, if Charlie didn't cool down he was gonna combust. Jacob glanced sideways at Bella, begging with his eyes for help. But she was so lost in thought she didn't notice. Jacob ponderously did up the buttons. The thick material was already beginning to annoy him. He rarely wore shirts these days, and if he did it was usually a thin t-shirt. With his high temperature clothes were just an annoyance.

"I need a beer." Charlie muttered. It was all too much for his frazzled nerves. He headed to the fridge and grabbed a bottle. He glanced at Jacob again, shaking his head in bemusement before popping open the bottle and taking a long swig. "Billy is gonna tan your ass for getting that tattoo." He warned Jacob. "Don't expect me to defend you." Without waiting for an answer he marched into the front room.

* * *

"Well that went smoother than I expected." Jacob confided to Bella. They were in the kitchen. Like she always did when stressed, Bella cooked. She was busily chopping vegetables. The knife clattered on the chopping board as she slammed it down over and over. Jacob was worried that she was going to accidentally chop her fingers off if she wasn't careful. He stood behind her and placed his fingers over hers, gently slowing her movements. "It's okay Bella." He said soothingly. He pressed his chest to her back, letting his body heat surround her. He felt the tension ooze out of her body until eventually she slumped against him. "We'll find a way through this, honey." He promised. "We're in this together."

Bella let out a choked sob. She dropped the knife and turned around in his embrace. Jacob cupped the back of her head as she began to cry. She couldn't help it. The strain of the last few days was taking its toll. She could only pretend to remain strong for so long. Her fingers gripped the material of Jacob's borrowed shirt as she clung to him. She was so glad he was with her, but so scared too. They had already missed a bullet with Charlie. Her father had backed off for now but she knew it wouldn't be long before he asked more probing questions. What of the other Jacob, her best friend, the one in this timeframe. Bella didn't know what to think. She felt so stressed. They were walking a thin tightrope here. One wrong move could have untold consequences. Starting all over again was terrifying. "What are we going to do, Jacob?" Bella whispered disconsolately.

"We'll do what we have to." Jacob sounded so reassuring, so in control. Bella envied his confidence. She pulled back and gazed up into his beautiful dark eyes. Then she saw the strain. He wasn't as self-assured as he appeared. He noticed her studying him. "It's gonna be fine." He stated earnestly.

"How?" Bella questioned. "Where do we even start?"

"We start at the beginning." Jacob reminded her. "The pack hasn't formed properly yet, right."

"Right." Bella agreed warily.

"So, they're gonna need a leader. Which is me. This other Jacob never stepped up. I'll be the one to do it. The quicker I whip their butts into shape, the faster we can get things moving." Jacob smiled his special smile at Bella.

"It won't be that easy." Bella pointed out anxiously. "How on earth are we going to explain where you've come from? What about the Jacob here? Are you him is he you?" Bella's gaze travelled down Jacob's hardened body. "If there is two of you what will happen. You can't cross paths."

"Hush." Jacob quietened her. He could hear Charlie's footsteps heading toward the kitchen. "We'll find out. Either way we're going to have to go and speak to my d…." He paused, breathing deeply. "I mean find Billy and explain. We need some help here and he can provide it, the elders too."

"And you think they're just going to believe you?" Bella pressed. "You remember how they treated me."

A determined look crossed Jacob's handsome face, making him seem suddenly so much older. "Oh, they'll believe me. I can promise you that."

Their conversation was cut short as Charlie strolled into the kitchen to grab another beer. He frowned when he saw how close they were to each other. Jacob stepped away from Bella, not wanting to antagonise Charlie any more than he had already for one day. Charlie grabbed another beer. "How's dinner coming along, Bells?" He asked.

"Not too long now." Bella replied with a fake smile.

"Why don't you come and join me, Jake?" Charlie offered. "There's a game on. We can let Bells get on with dinner without any distractions." He ended pointedly.

"Sure sure." Jacob agreed amiably. He reluctantly followed Charlie into the front room, casting an apologetic look toward Bella before he left.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	27. Chapter 27

**Back to the Beginning**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews and for still following this crazy fic.**_

 **Part Twenty Six**

The sun shone brightly through the partially opened curtains. Bella blinked, slowly opening her eyes as she greeted a new day. God, she was warm, hot in fact. She smiled lazily, forgetting for a moment what the new day was going to bring. Instead she basked in the feeling of joy as she turned around and gazed upon the beautiful man cradling her in his arms. Bella propped herself up on her elbow, brown eyes sparkling as she gently took a tuft of her long hair between her fingers and brushed it lightly over the tip of Jacob's nose. He scrunched it up and Bella couldn't get over how cute he looked as, with eyes still closed, he tried to swat away whatever was tickling his nose. She did it again and again, wondering how long it was going to take before he got so annoyed he opened his eyes. Eventually he sighed heavily and rolled onto his back. Bella bit down on her lower lip to stop a giggle escaping as she skimmed her nails along his bare chest, scratching the skin lightly.

Jacob finally opened one eye. "I know it's you."

"Me?" Bella tried to look innocent, but she couldn't help the giggle escaping.

Jacob grabbed her, and as quick as lightening she was underneath him, his long fingers finding all her sensitive spots as he began to tickle her. Bella thrashed around trying to escape. "That's not fair." She gasped, laughing.

"Uh huh." Jacob grinned, giving up on his assault as he pinned her arms above her head and held them in place with one hand. He hovered over her, his expression softening. "Do you know how often I've dreamed of waking up with you like this?" He asked. He lowered his head, skimming his nose along the side of hers. Bella's eyes began to close. She sighed in ecstasy as his warm lips found hers and he began to kiss her.

There was a sharp rap on her bedroom door. "Time to get up, Bells. You'll be late for school." Charlie called through the door.

"Cock blocker." Jacob complained as he rolled off of Bella and fell silently to the floor. He hastily pulled on his shorts. "I'll meet you outside in an hour, honey." He gave her a quick peck on the lips before climbing out of her window.

Charlie rapped on the door again. "Bella, are you awake?"

"Yes." Bella replied irritably. She sat up reaching for her dressing gown. She had slept naked next to Jacob. Who needed pyjamas when you had your very own space heater to keep you warm?

* * *

Bella dithered around until Charlie left for work. He seemed in no hurry to leave. He took ages putting on his jacket. Then he couldn't find his boots. He sat at the table for ages fiddling with his gun, checking it, giving it a quick clean. She was forced to pack her school bag as if she was actually going to go. For one horrifying moment it looked as if he was going to offer to accompany her to school, but thankfully his deputy radioed him about an urgent call out, so he was forced to leave. "Have a good day at school, Bells. If Cullen gives you any trouble send him right to me." Charlie grabbed his hat and finally left the house.

Bella breathed a sigh of relief. It was exhausting keeping up the charade. There was no way she was going to do what she had before and go through the pretence of attending school. No, she and Jacob had plans to make. They had to work out their next move. Bella grabbed her thick jacket as it was chilly outside despite the sunshine. She made sure to take some money with her as well. Jacob needed clothes. He could hardly swan around in just his cut off shorts and bare feet. After tugging on her boots Bella hurriedly locked up the house and ran down the porch steps. Jacob was already waiting for her by the old Chevy. Bella's heart actually jumped in her chest at the sight of him. She loved him so much. Sometimes it scared her just how deep her feelings ran.

"Hey." Jacob held out his arms and Bella ran straight into them. "I seem to remember I owe you a kiss." His lips were on hers before he'd finished his sentence. Jacob lifted Bella onto the hood of the truck so they were more on the same level. She parted her thighs and he stood between her denim clad legs, his hands cupping her ass and drawing her closer. Bella circled her arms around his neck as she became lost in the kiss. She could do this forever, kissing him. His tongue parted her lips and she moaned, her fingers played with the soft hairs at the base of his neck. It was longer than normal; he hadn't cut it in a while. Jacob's hands tightened on her butt as his desire ramped up a notch.

The sound of a car horn beeping interrupted their passionate display. The teenagers inside the car began to make rude gestures out the windows. Jacob and Bella pulled apart, breathing heavily. They had been so wrapped up in each other they had completely forgotten where they were. Bella's skin burned as she came down from her high. "I can't believe we just did that." She laughed nervously.

Jacob smiled, trying to do his best to hide his annoyance at the interruption. He helped Bella down off the hood of the Chevy. "Stupid kids." He complained. "I should kick their butts."

"Jacob, they're probably the same age as you." Bella pointed out mildly.

"Yeah." Sometimes Jacob forgot he was still a teenager himself. He had grown beyond that stage a long time ago, if he had ever really been one. "I suppose we better go." He continued reluctantly.

"I guess so." Bella smoothed down her hair. She gave him a shy smile. "We can always revisit that kiss later." She teased.

"Oh, I plan on doing a lot more than kiss." Jacob gave her such a heated look that Bella felt her temperature rise and it had nothing to do with his closeness.

* * *

They spent most of the day in Port Angeles. Jacob needed clothes. So they used some of the money Bella had brought with her to kit him out. While they did this they tried to make plans. It was hard to know what to do. The biggest hurdle was getting to La Push and allowing Jacob to find Billy and talk to him alone. But the problem was Jacob's counterpart in this time line. They wanted to avoid crossing paths with him, or at least Jacob coming into close contact. They each made suggestions, weighed up the pros and cons, and then rejected them when they appeared too outlandish or just plain crazy.

"We need to lure him out of the house. Then I can go in and confront Billy." Jacob said for the hundredth time. They were in the diner in Forks now. Jacob was wearing some of his new clothes. He was dressed in a black V-neck tee and dark jeans. Bella noticed he was attracting quite a few admiring looks from the other patrons. The waitress had barley acknowledged Bella when she had ordered the food. Bella felt like sticking her tongue out at the stupid cow, but she knew that would be childish. Instead she just glared at anyone she caught ogling Jacob. As always he was totally oblivious. He was more interested in his food than anything else. "Bella, what do you think?" He asked with his mouth full.

"I think we need to get out of here." Bella muttered irritably. She narrowed her eyes as the waitress hovered near their table again. "He's fine thank you." She snapped at her before the other girl could open her mouth. This would be the fourth time that the annoying cow had asked Jacob whether he needed anything.

"I am just doing my job." The waitress replied tartly as she stuffed a pen behind her ear. She flounced off in a huff.

Jacob studied Bella carefully. She tried to appear unruffled but was making a piss poor job of it. "You don't need to be jealous, Bella. She's nothing compared to you. I love you." He said quietly.

"I'm not jealous." Bella lied. She fiddled with her knife and fork.

"Okay." Jacob decided not to press things further. He finished off his food quickly. "Come on, let's go."

"At last." Bella grabbed her jacket and shrugged it on. She knew she was being an idiot but she couldn't help it. It was hard battling her low self-esteem. She tried to rise above it but it still caught her out sometimes. "I'm sorry, Jacob." She smiled at him sheepishly.

"For what?" Jacob winked at her, throwing an arm across her shoulders and leading her out of the diner.

* * *

They had just driven past the outskirts of town when Bella saw them. It was like a ghost rising out of the past. She let out a small cry, causing Jacob to slam on the Chevy's brakes. The old iron monster skidded to a halt. "What is it? Are you okay, Bella?" Jacob panicked, thinking she was about to have another seizure or something. Her face had gone completely white.

"The bikes." Bella pointed toward a pair of broken down old motorcycles parked in the driveway of a house. One was a dull red, the other black. A cardboard sign was leaning against them with a number scrawled across it.

Jacob was confused. "They're just old wrecks."

Bella felt tears prick at her eyes as she became lost in the past. These were the same ones she had fixed up with the Jacob from her time line. They had spent many enjoyable hours putting them back together. It was something she hadn't done with her Jacob though. They hadn't featured at all. But then she hadn't been going through her zombie withdrawal then. It had all been so different. She swallowed down the lump lodged in her throat. Seeing the bikes had given her an idea on how to lure young Jacob out of the house so her Jacob could go and talk to Billy undisturbed. "We need them."

"Why?" Jacob was bemused. "You're not making any sense."

"Because what do you love doing most." Bella asked him.

A smile crossed Jacob's face, lighting up his dark eyes. "You have to ask."

Bella's skin burned. She swatted his arm playfully. "Besides that."

"Oh, you mean working on engines. So?" Jacob still had no clue what she was inferring.

"So does he." Bella motioned toward the two old wrecks. "This is perfect. I remember it kept Jake absorbed for weeks fixing up those things. You should have seen him Jacob. He was so clever. The way he took the bikes apart. I couldn't do much. But I got a kick out of watching him work his magic." She said wistfully.

It took Bella a while until she realised that Jacob had fallen silent. She was back in the past, picturing young Jake in the Taj, him kneeling on the concrete floor sorting through the parts, her sitting on an old crate as they shared teasing banter and warm sodas. It was all coming back to her now. How could she have forgotten?

"We never did that." Jacob's deep voice broke her out of her thoughts. He was staring at the bikes, his fingers gripping the steering wheel so hard that his knuckles had turned white.

Bella finally noticed that Jacob was upset. She frowned, not understanding the sudden change in mood. "It's just something we did to pass the time."

"If you say so." Jacob muttered.

"Jacob?" Bella was bewildered. She tried to get Jacob to explain what was going on in his head but he refused.

"There isn't time." Jacob was already climbing out of the Chevy. "If you want to buy the old wrecks for Mr Magic to fix then we better get a move on." He continued sarcastically.

"Fine." Bella wasn't in the mood to argue. She had no idea what had caused his sudden change in attitude but she certainly wasn't going to engage in a petty argument about nothing. She slid out of the truck and followed Jacob slowly up the long drive.

* * *

"Jake is always in the Taj after he finishes school." Bella said to Jacob as they drove down the dirt track heading to the Black's house. It was raining now. The sky had darkened and black clouds were rolling in.

"The Taj?" Jacob questioned, frowning.

"It's what we called the garage." Bella laughed nervously. "I know it sounds dumb, but it was our way of making the place special."

"Special…yeah right." Jacob echoed darkly.

"Jacob, what's the matter? You've been acting weird ever since we saw the bikes." Bella put a hand on his shoulder. "Please talk to me."

Jacob shook his head. "It's nothing. Look, we're nearly there." He parked the old truck just out of sight of the main house. "You're gonna have to go the rest of the way by yourself. I can't be seen."

Bella sighed. This wasn't like him. This was such an odd mood he was in. But there wasn't any time to talk. She switched places with him so she was behind the wheel. "I'll miss you."

A strange expression crossed Jacob's handsome face at her words. He nodded curtly before closing the truck's door and running off to hide. Bella watched him go sadly. Maybe the whole situation was getting to him. She knew she felt stressed enough for both of them. It was worse for him, he was about to confront a man who looked and acted exactly like his own dad but wasn't. Still, there was little she could do right now. She would do her best to comfort him later. She had her own ordeal to endure, trying to entertain Jake without arousing his suspicions. Bella continued to drive down the old dirt track until the Black's familiar redwood house appeared. She was immediately transported back into the past as she saw the doors to the Taj open and young Jake come running outside. A huge smile lit up his face as soon as he saw her. He charged over to the truck, his long hair flying like a banner behind him. Moments later he was lifting her up in the air and swinging her around in delight.

* * *

Jacob could hardly watch. It was too weird, seeing the mirror image of his younger self lifting Bella up in a bear hug, smiling and laughing with her. He was forced to listen to their teasing banter. They were talking like old friends. He felt an irrational surge of jealousy course through him. He knew it was stupid, but the way she spoke about this other Jacob, the way she got all misty eyed and sentimental as she talked about things they had done together. It killed him. They hadn't done any of those things. Their time together had been a rollercoaster ride, a whirlwind of drama, confusion and emotion. He loved her so damn much. They were pushing the bikes toward the garage now. The other Jake was being an idiot, trying to impress his Bella with his stupid jokes. It was made even worse when the other Jake motioned for Bella to go into the garage ahead of him. The tool actually dared to stare at Bella's ass as she went ahead of him. The doors shut and Jacob couldn't see them anymore.

"Get a hold of yourself, Black." Jacob scolded himself. "You're being a dumbass." He shook himself, trying to shrug his irrational jealousy away. He had bigger things to concentrate on, like trying to convince Billy Black that he could travel through time. "Yeah, that's gonna go down well." He muttered under his breath. Laughter erupted from the garage. Jacob frowned, glaring at the building irritably. He took a deep breath before striding purposefully toward the house while his counterpart was being distracted by Bella.

 _ **A/N-thank you for reading!**_


	28. Chapter 28

**Back to the Beginning**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Part Twenty Seven**

Jacob knew something was wrong as soon as he entered the house. The interior was completely different. The smell of fresh paint was strong. It looked like the walls had been newly decorated. The hall was bright, airy, so unlike his own home. It was so weird. It was like walking through a spruced up version of his old house. As he entered the lounge his eyes widened. Gone was the old ratty couch and television. There was an expensive flat screen T.V in the corner of the room, opposite was a black leather sofa. A laptop was carelessly abandoned on the coffee table. Was that a PlayStation? Jacob couldn't believe it. What the hell was going on here? He walked further into the room so he could glance into the adjoining kitchen. That's when he saw him. Billy Black was standing in front of the sink washing his hands. It seemed he had been the one who had been painting. A pot of paint was beside him on the floor with a roller chucked next to it. But the most shocking thing of all was that Billy was not in a wheelchair. In fact Jacob couldn't even see one. Billy turned his head, glancing behind him as if sensing someone was watching. Jacob quickly ducked into the shadows to hide.

"Jake, is that you?" Billy questioned as he walked out of the kitchen, drying his hands on an old rag. He sniffed the air, his dark eyes narrowed with suspicion. "Jake, don't mess me around son. I know you're here."

Jacob bolted. This wasn't right. None of it was. Billy shouldn't be walking around like this. He looked the picture of health. If Jacob wasn't mistaken the older guy had just clocked him by detecting his scent. What did that mean? On silent feet he whizzed down the narrow hall, bursting through the door of Jake's bedroom. He shut it swiftly. He didn't have time to process the fact that this Jake had a working computer in his room. Jacob's father had never been able to afford anything like that, not on his welfare cheques. Jacob hastily climbed out of the window and ran toward the garage. He had to retrieve Bella and get her out of here. It was clear they hadn't gone back into the past like they'd thought. They'd landed in a whole different reality.

* * *

Bella was having the same realisation. As soon as she walked into the garage ahead of Jake she noticed the differences. Gone were the old plastic draws filled with random parts. Instead all along one wall Jake's tools were hung up in an orderly fashion. None of them were the second hand ones he'd sourced. No, a lot of these looked new, and expensive. She was expecting to see the VW Rabbit parked to the rear, but that was missing too. In its place was an old Camaro. The hood was up and the engine was on the concrete floor. Jake must have been working on it before she'd arrived.

"You alright, Bells." Jake was standing behind her, obviously waiting for her to say something.

"Where's the Rabbit?" Bella asked in confusion. Her eyes travelled around the interior of the garage, taking note of all the changes. There were no old crates to sit on anymore, instead there was an old swivel chair planted in front of a wooden desk. Next to that was a metal filing cabinet. This place wasn't the Taj she remembered. It was more like a working garage.

"Rabbit?" Jacob laughed, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "You're too funny." He elbowed her in the side as he passed. He wheeled the bikes next to the old Camaro and turned to look at her. "Are you gonna sit down?" He motioned toward the swivel chair. "I just need to store the Camaro's engine away then we can pick apart the bikes."

Bella gazed at him in trepidation. She was already backing toward the doors. "Um…Jake…I have to go."

"Why?" Jake's brow furrowed. "You just got here."

"I know but I forgot something." Bella had reached the doors now. She was desperate to get outside. She had to stop Jacob before he went blundering into the house to confront Billy. Something was really off here.

"I'll come with you." Jake offered.

"No, I'm good." Bella said desperately. She opened the doors a little. She forced an apologetic smile on her face, praying that Jake wouldn't insist on following her. "I'll see you later, Jake. Bye." She hurriedly slid outside and shut the doors again. She leaned against them, feeling the cold metal of the doors seep through her shirt. What the hell was going on? She breathed deeply, trying to steady her nerves.

"Bella." She nearly jumped a foot in the air. Bella gasped, clamping her hand over her mouth when she saw her Jacob hot footing it toward her. His eyes were wide, nostrils flared. He was running fast as if something was chasing after him. He reached her within seconds. "We have to get out of here." He whispered harshly. He grabbed her hand and began to tug her toward the dirt track where the old Chevy was parked.

"Jacob, this isn't the past." Bella panted as she tried to keep up with his larger strides.

"I know." Jacob stopped for a second so he could scoop her up in his arms. A moment later he reached the Chevy. "Get in." He ordered. He didn't wait for Bella to respond. He opened the passenger door and practically shoved her inside the cab. There was no time for niceties now. He ran around to the other side and quickly slid into the driver's seat. The old iron monster's engine roared to life as he turned the key. "Fucking thing." Jacob cursed. "It will alert everything within a ten mile radius." He floored the accelerator and began to reverse down the dirt track.

He was right. Billy Black had been alerted by the noise. He was outside the house now. His keen gaze was drawn right to them. Jacob cursed again, ducking his head so Billy couldn't get a good look at his face. The older man was calling for his son now. Jake came running out of the garage at the sound of his father's cries. Bella's mouth was agape as she watched Billy run to Jake's side. "Jacob, your dad is walking."

"I know." Jacob snapped. He hit the dashboard in frustration. The Chevy was so freaking slow. He would have phased and carried Bella on his back, anything to escape quicker. But after seeing Billy's reaction inside the house it was clear to Jacob that it wasn't his counterpart who was a wolf in this alternate universe. It was Billy Black himself. If he phased the older guy would know right away and they would be screwed. Hopefully, once young Jake told his father it was Bella who had visited he wouldn't get it into his head to investigate further.

* * *

Jacob pushed the Chevy to its limits. The old girl groaned as he revved her hard. But even at her fastest she could only reach sixty. Jacob kept glancing toward the empty fields on his right, expecting at any moment to see a pack of wolves chasing them down. But there was nothing. The further they got from La Push the more his anxieties eased. Hopefully Billy had decided it wasn't worth his time investigating. They drove around in silence for a while. Both were still shocked at the sudden turn of events. For Jacob it was more surreal then for Bella. To see how different his counterpart's life was here. Young Jake seemed to have everything at his disposal. Billy was in robust health. They had money, even a business. He couldn't get the image of Billy walking out of his head.

Eventually they ended up driving to a local motel. Bella still had her stash of money. They didn't want to go back to Charlie's house in Forks. It would mean facing more questions. They had risked enough. They booked a room for the night so they could have some privacy. Bella sat down on the edge of the bed and put her head in her hands. "I don't understand." She muttered. "What went wrong?"

Jacob sat down beside her. He put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. Bella rested her head against his chest and listened to the frantic beating of his heart. He was as wound up as she was. She gripped the fabric of his t-shirt between her fingers. Jacob was solid, he was real. Slowly her panic began to subside as her logical brain tried to process this turn of events. "We didn't go back into the past." She said slowly.

"No." Jacob agreed. His fingers were in her hair. He kept combing his fingers through the silky strands absently. Like Bella he was trying to process what had happened to them. "Somehow we ended up in an alternate reality or something." He exhaled slowly. "Jeez, this sounds crazy doesn't it?"

"No crazier than time travelling." Bella replied humourlessly. She sat upright so she could look at Jacob's face. She was worried about him. Even before all this had blown up in their face Jacob had been behaving oddly. She needed to know what had upset him. "Are you mad at me?" She asked sadly.

"What?" Jacob was confused by her train of thought. "Why would I be mad at you?"

"Earlier, you just seemed a bit moody." Bella felt stupid asking him this. In the grand scheme of things it wasn't a big deal. But to her it mattered. If she had upset him she would rather talk it out and resolve it now. "I was worried."

A resigned smile lit up his face for a moment. "It was nothing. I was just being a tool."

"Explain." Bella begged him. She gazed up at him from under her long lashes, trying to charm him into confessing.

Jacob knew what she was doing. He laughed despite himself. "You're good." He kissed the top of her head as she smiled back at him. "I was just being an idiot. I was jealous, okay. You and this other Jake seemed so cosy. When you spoke about him it just…I don't know."

Bella felt an idiot for not reading the signs. She nestled closer to him and cupped his cheek in the palm of her hand. "Jake is a friend. But that is all he'll ever be. You, Jacob Black, are the love of my life; you're my soul mate, my other half, my…."

"Alright, I get it." Jacob smiled in amusement. "C'mere." He kissed her softly on the mouth, letting his lips linger for a moment before reluctantly ending the kiss. He sighed. "We've got to work out what we're gonna do, honey. We're in the wrong place and I have no idea how to get us out of here."

Bella's lips pursed. "I'm the one who landed us in the wrong place. You just followed me." She reminded him.

"But is that the reason we both ended up here instead of back in the past." Jacob mused. "Was it something I did that changed things?"

"I don't think so." Bella tried to concentrate. It was all so complex and complicated. She had no idea what she was doing. When she had decided at the last moment to go back to the past and leave her Jacob behind, she had been in a heightened emotional state. She hadn't been concentrating. She had just assumed she would land where she needed to go. It was made all the more frustrating that she couldn't remember what had happened during her previous attempts to change the past. If that was indeed what she had been doing. She bit hard on her lower lip as she tried to recall what Victoria had told her. In her mind's eye she saw an image of Victoria; the red head was tapping the side of her head in aggravation. _"I have tried so hard to change things. But you, you keep making it so difficult."_ Bella saw Victoria rap the side of her head sharply again _. "It's something in here. It's blocking me. I haven't been able to guide you, to show you what I needed, what I wanted."_

"It's me." Bella said thickly.

"What?" Jacob studied her carefully.

"I was thinking about what Victoria told me. It never really sank in before. But she said that I was blocking her. That something in my head was stopping her from guiding me, from showing me what she wanted." Bella touched her temples gingerly. "I felt it too when I forced myself to go back again. It was like something clicked inside my brain. But like I said I was in a heightened emotional state. I was so desperate about leaving you. I was devastated. I wasn't thinking straight. I think we ended up here because I took the wrong path."

"So, we need to try and get back to the correct reality, the right past." Jacob said thoughtfully. "Perhaps if you try and properly envision it then we'll get there."

"Victoria said I was always wandering off alone, doing my own thing, following the same path and always forcing the same outcome." Bella tapped her finger across her lips. Her brain was aching with the effort of trying to work things out. She glanced at Jacob's handsome face. He was watching her carefully, his eyes full of concern for her. A love so strong built up inside, her heart was beating so strongly that it threatened to burst out of her chest. She continued to gaze at him as the puzzle slowly unravelled in her mind. "Oh my god, it's you."

"Me." Jacob frowned, reaching out a hand to touch her face. "I don't understand."

"Don't you see? Victoria told me that I was always forcing the same outcome. Each time I went back I was gravitating toward you." Her fingers clasped the wolf charm that was still hanging around her neck. "I was trying to find my way back to you, Jacob." She cried. "I love you so much I can't live without you."

Jacob crushed Bella to his chest. She was crying. He was finding it hard to contain his own tears. It sounded so plausible. Each time she had gone back her memory had been wiped, but still, the first thing she had done was run to him, she had done her utmost to change his life, to save him, to save everyone. The depths of her love for him knew no bounds. Not even time could come between them. They would always find each other somehow. It was the same reason he had followed her. He loved her so much that he didn't think of the risks, he knew he couldn't live without her. Jacob held Bella as she continued to cry. Eventually, worn out by the day's events, they retired to bed and slept right through until morning.

* * *

As the sun rose above the horizon Jacob and Bella were ready to leave. They couldn't stay in this reality. Who knew what damage their brief time here had caused? Bella sat on the bed holding Jacob's hands in her own. "I don't know how to do this." She admitted brokenly.

"Just envision home in your mind." Jacob encouraged her.

"But your home is my home." Bella whispered.

"Then that's where we'll go. We've got help there, Bella. Maybe all together we can work it out. We've tried to do this alone but this is bigger than the two of us. My pack is there, my dad, and the elders." He smiled gently. "We could go back and forth forever trying to work this out. Let's go home."

"But Victoria is there…"

"We have more information to work with now." Jacob leaned forward and kissed her softly. "It's going to be alright, Bella. I promise."

"I need to go back to the point we left." Bella mumbled. She squeezed her eyes shut tightly. "Don't let me go, Jacob." She begged as the fear began to build up inside.

"I'll never let go. I promise." Bella felt something shifting in her mind. She pictured home in her head, she desperately tried to hold onto this image as her body began to transition. The feeling was familiar to her now, not so frightening as her other trips into the unknown had been. Blackness consumed her as her body began to seize.

It still ripped Jacob up inside to see it. He tried to keep calm as he watched Bella's body begin to jerk violently. Her eyes were shut tight as the seizure overtook her. He held his nerve until he saw her begin to fade. Then, closing his own eyes, Jacob phased and followed her.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	29. Chapter 29

**Back to the Beginning**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews and for those still following this story.**_

 **Part Twenty Eight**

Bella felt cold droplets of water hit her skin. She shuddered, feeling suddenly wet. A loud rumble of thunder made her eyes shoot open. What the hell? Where was she? She sat up abruptly, shivering. More water dribbled down her face. Her hair was plastered to her head, her clothes sticking to her body. She licked her lips. They felt salty. It was so dark. Bella shifted awkwardly, she was still dazed and disorientated. There was a flash of lightening. It illuminated the sky for a few seconds. Black clouds scudded across the horizon. She saw the sea, grey and murky, smashing against the shore wildly. Under her fingers she felt fine grains of sand. A clap of thunder startled her. She gasped. Bella struggled to rise. There was a strong wind. It blew her saturated hair around her head like a whirling dervish. She trembled violently. She was so cold. She slipped her arms around her waist, trying to ward off the chill. It did little to help. She needed to move.

Her head was spinning. Bella tried to make sense of what had happened to her. Her memories were hazy. She trudged forward, trying to peer through the gloom as she sought a familiar landmark. A sudden cliff face loomed in front of her. Bella nearly fell backward onto the sand. She raised her head, the rain dashed against her skin in rivulets, coating her eyelashes and making it hard to decipher what she was looking at. She recognised this cliff, she was sure of it. Bella hunched over as she tried to keep body and soul together. She could feel the panic welling up in her throat. This was like a nightmare. Oh, she wished she could remember how she got here, but the knowledge was just out of her reach. She cried in frustration as she continued onward, her body almost bent double now as she fought against the wind. She rounded the bottom of the cliff face, following the sharp edges of the rocks until she came upon a little sandy cove. It was more sheltered here. She breathed a sigh of relief as she raised her head and looked around.

Then someone grabbed her from behind and she screamed…

* * *

"Hey, it's me. It's me." Jacob held Bella against him as she began to thrash around wildly. "It's okay, Bella. It's just me."

It took a few seconds before realisation sank in. Bella sagged in his arms, tears of relief running down her cheeks. She felt the heat from his body infect hers, it warded away the chill and she was able to breathe again. "Jacob." She whispered.

Jacob gently adjusted her in his arms so that he was carrying her bridal style. His lips sought hers. He kissed her, his mouth moving gently against Bella's. He was so grateful that he'd found her. When he'd come to and found himself alone, with her nowhere in sight, he'd panicked. He had spent the last fifteen minutes searching for her. The vicious storm was playing havoc with his wolf senses. Thankfully they had found each other. After the kiss was over he tried to warm her body. Her skin was icy. He rubbed her arms and tried to shield her against the biting wind.

"Wh…where are…are we?" Bella was stammering with the cold. Her teeth clacked together as she tried to stop shivering.

"This is First beach." Jacob began to move. He kept his body hunched over hers in an attempt to shield her from the worst of the weather.

"I…I got…it…it wrong." Bella trembled in his embrace.

"I don't think so." Jacob's feet sank deeply into the soft sand as he tried to make headway against the strong wind. "It was stormy when we left."

Bella's teeth clacked together again. She tried to gulp down her fears. "But why…why here?"

"I don't know." Jacob shook his head to get the water droplets out of his eyes. The wind was driving the heavy rain right into his face making it hard to see. If they had landed back in the right time frame, then his pack would be around somewhere, guarding Victoria. That is if she hadn't escaped. He felt a stab of guilt about leaving his brothers to deal with the mess in his absence. When he had followed Bella he had acted on instinct. He would do the same again in a heartbeat, but that didn't stop him feeling bad that he had essentially left his pack in the lurch. "Do you feel warmer yet?" He asked Bella to distract himself.

"KInda." Bella lied. Her clothes were saturated. No matter how much heat she got from Jacob's body, if she didn't ditch the clothes soon she would end up with hypothermia anyway.

"You're such a bad liar, Bella." Jacob pointed out. His white teeth flashed in the darkness as he smiled down at her.

"Okay." Bella conceded. "I'm fucking freezing."

"That's my girl. Let's get you home." Jacob began to run faster. He was as sure footed as mountain goat, even in this wild weather.

"I like the s…s…sound of that." Bella stuttered as she pressed her face against the hot skin of his chest. She closed her eyes in blessed relief before falling into a light doze.

* * *

Bella was sitting naked in the bathtub. She was surrounded by a mass of bubbles. Her wet hair was pulled back into a messy bun. It was like heaven. She let the warm water soothe her frazzled nerves. Jacob was talking to his father. Billy had been in a state of shock ever since his son had burst into the house carrying Bella in his arms. He had no idea they had even left. There was a gentle tap on the bathroom door. "Come in." Bella rasped. She sank lower in the water to hide her naked body.

"Hi." It was Leah.

Bella smiled happily as her friend edged into the small bathroom carrying fresh towels. "I have missed you." Her eyes glistened with tears as she opened her arms wide to give Leah a hug.

"Really?" Leah seemed surprised. She chucked the towels on the floor and leaned over the tub to embrace Bella. She sneezed when some of the soapy bubbles tickled her nose. "Do you have enough bubble bath in there?" She questioned.

"I think Jacob poured the whole bottle in at once." Bella kept hold of Leah's hand. It was clear the she-wolf was bemused by this apparent display of affection. "I am so glad to see you." Bella said again.

Leah smiled sardonically. "Have you hit your head, girl?"

Bella laughed, but groaned when the effort made her throat burn. "I have to admit my head does feel a bit sore." It was true. Her head was aching. Trying to process everything that had happened was making her brain hurt.

Leah perched on the edge of the bath, her expression suddenly serious. "I heard what Jacob told his dad."

Bella's smile faded. "Oh."

"What were you thinking?" Leah suddenly snapped at her. Bella was startled at this sudden change in mood. She stared at Leah with wide eyes. "I can't believe you did that. Swanning off alone like an idiot. Where did you think you're little martyr act was gonna get you, huh? Dead, that's what. Luckily Jacob followed you and saved your scrawny ass."

"Why are you attacking me?" Bella retorted, hurt. "I was doing what I thought was right. I care about you all too much to risk your lives any more than I already have done. I've been selfish enough. I didn't want anyone I love to get hurt…."

"What about the ones who love you?" Leah continued angrily. Her dark eyes were on fire. She inhaled sharply and turned her head away to hide her face. "What do you think would have happened to us if you had died? You are a part of us, Bella. Family sticks together. You should know that by now."

Bella was stunned. She gazed at Leah in shame. When she had made the decision to leave Jacob behind, to leave them, in her vain attempt to resolve everything alone, it hadn't occurred to her how it would affect them. She thought she was being noble, making the ultimate sacrifice to save the man she loved. What a crock of shit! She was being selfish yet again. "I'm sorry." She whispered. "I didn't take time to think."

Leah turned to look at her. Even though she was clearly still angry, the fire in her eyes had died down. "I understand why you did it. But that doesn't make it right." She said in a gentler tone. "You're not alone in this. Stop thinking that you are."

"I'm sorry." Bella apologised again. She didn't think she had any more tears left to shed, but she was wrong.

Leah suddenly ducked down and pulled her into another fierce hug. The two girls clung to each other. "If you feel like you're gonna do something stupid talk to me." She said to Bella. "Promise me."

"I will." Bella agreed fervently. "I promise."

* * *

Jacob had given his father a watered down version of the truth. He didn't go into detail about what he had seen in the alternate reality that he and Bella had visited. He didn't want to hurt Billy with a tale of what ifs. It had been like having a glimpse into what could have been if his father had remained healthy and able to work. Jacob was still trying to process it himself.

"It blows your mind just thinking about it." Billy shook his head in disbelief.

"Tell me about it." Jacob ran his fingers through his hair. He felt so wired up. He began to pace restlessly. "I need to go and check in with Sam and the others."

"What are you going to do about the cold one?" Billy asked.

Jacob stopped pacing. It had been his original intention to let Victoria go, that was until Bella had experienced another seizure and he'd followed after her. He wasn't sure what to do now. They were still in the same position as they'd been before he left. The storm would die down eventually. The pack would be in plain sight of passers-by. There was nowhere to detain the redhead indefinitely. Frustration began to build up in his chest and he began to pace again. "Honestly, I don't know." He admitted eventually.

"I do." Bella walked into the room followed by Leah. The two girls exchanged a meaningful glance before looking directly at Jacob. He stopped pacing and gazed at Bella. She was dressed in some of Leah's clothes. They were too big on her, but she'd rolled the jeans up and secured them around her waist with a belt. The shirt hung loosely on her tiny frame.

"What are you talking about, honey?" Jacob walked over to her and cupped her face between his hands. "You should be resting." He shot Leah an annoyed look, but the she-wolf just ignored him.

"There's no time to rest." Bella said impatiently. "Lee and I have been talking."

"I bet." Jacob glared at Leah again but she met his gaze steadily. "You were supposed to make sure she was resting."

"Oh pull your head in almighty Alpha." Leah sneered. "Bella isn't as fragile as you think she is. She's not made of glass."

"She's right. Look at me, Jacob." Bella scolded him. Jacob returned his attention to Bella. Her cheeks were rosy from the effort of making herself heard. She nodded in satisfaction now she had his full attention. "Now listen and don't say no because I'm going anyway."

"Going where?" Jacob asked dubiously.

"I'm going to talk to Victoria." Bella declared stoutly. "We need time and I'm going to make damn well sure that she gives us some."

"No way." Jacob protested. "She's crazed."

"I've got adequate protection. She can hardly get near me while surrounded by a pack of wolves." Bella glanced sideways at Leah who was wearing a satisfied smirk. "I mean that's what families do, protect each other, right."

"I swear you're gonna be the death of me, Bella Swan." Jacob complained irritably.

"Not today." Bella said with a glimmer of a smile.

* * *

Bella was wrapped up in one of Leah's thickest coats. With Jacob on one side and Leah on the other, the mighty storm had little effect on her this time. She had pulled the hood over head to keep out the wind and the rain. The pack had been stunned by their sudden appearance. They had swarmed around their Alpha like bees once he had phased. Bella presumed Jacob was communicating with them through the pack mind link. She noticed the hackles along Sam's back rise and guessed Jacob's beta wasn't happy with this plan. She heard Paul growl, followed by Jared. Jacob barked, indicating he wanted silence and for the pack to settle down. During all the back and forth Leah remained by Bella's side like a silent guardian. Seth had been left behind at the Black's to protect Billy.

After what felt like an eternity Jacob phased back into his human form. He strode straight over to Bella and pulled her into a tight bear hug. "Now listen to me." He whispered fiercely in her ear. "You stay right between me and Sam. I swear if the red headed bitch makes one false move she's gonna lose an arm."

"I'll be fine. We're just going to talk." Bella reminded him. She hugged him back just as hard. The truth was she was scared. Somehow this felt different than the previous times she had spoken to Victoria. Then it had been under surreal circumstances. She hadn't had time to think. This was a different scenario. This Victoria hadn't lived through the consequences of her actions yet. The other one had been hardened and embittered. She understood one false move could end everything she had fought for. "Let's get this over with." Bella said through gritted teeth.

Jacob nodded as he reluctantly released her. He took a step back, his gaze trained on her the whole time, before he phased right before her eyes.

* * *

Victoria was like an angry cat. Her temper was wilder than the storm blowing outside. She hissed as soon as Bella came into view. She ducked down into the shadows of the small cave, red eyes darting to the two huge wolves accompanying Bella. "I see you've brought your pets." She snarled.

Bella's right hand, which was resting on Jacob's flank, gripped his fur tightly. If he wasn't by her side she would have fainted on the spot. She tried to steady her nerves. She had to appear brave, even if she was the exact opposite inside. "I came here to talk."

Victoria's form was a blur as she suddenly appeared in front of Bella. Jacob growled, as did Sam. They cut Bella off from Victoria's view and snapped at her until she retreated back into the depths of the cave. "Damn you." She cursed. Her fists clenched. Her vibrant red hair was whipped around her white face by the strong winds. "I die, you die." She snapped at Bella.

"I know that." Bella continued quietly. "No one is going to harm you. Unless you give us cause to."

Victoria scowled. "Fuck your compassion."

"This is not compassion." Bella replied. She hated that her voice was shaking. She swallowed thickly, trying to maintain her composure. "We are bonded together you and I, both against our will by James."

Victoria became as still as a statue. Only her eyes moved. "How do you know this?"

"It doesn't matter how I know. I know you came here to try and claim me. I know about Riley."

If Victoria had been a cat her tail would have switched. Her expression became feral, calculating. "YOU DARE TO HARM HIM AND I'LL MAKE YOU WISH YOU WERE NEVER BORN." She threatened. Her gaze roved over the growling wolves. She licked her lips, her body braced to attack.

"I'm here to offer you a deal." Bella could feel how tense Jacob was by her side. Her fingers sank into his fur and she continued to hold on tight. "I know how much you love Riley. I know you are doing all this for him. You want your forever with him and you'll do anything to obtain it. I know right now it must be torturing you that you have been forced to leave him behind. We've kept you trapped here for hours while he's alone out there. He's a newborn. He needs constant guidance, reassurance. Anything could happen to him without your protection."

"WHAT DO YOU WANT?" Victoria spat.

"I want time." Bella hated that she was begging, but she hoped her words would get through to Victoria. "There has to be a way to break this bond between us. I want my forever too. Just like you."

Victoria's red eyes narrowed as she studied Bella, trying to figure out if she was lying or playing her for a fool. "You know too much. I don't like you or trust you." Her gaze flicked to the wolves. "Or your allies."

"You can trust me on this." Bella stated firmly. "To be honest, what choice do you really have? You can't touch me or get near me. My family will protect me. There are many of them and only one of you."

"For now." Victoria muttered under her breath.

"Don't take me for a fool." Bella felt anger welling up inside. It emboldened her as she faced down her nemesis. "Knowledge is power, Victoria. I have plenty of that. I know what you're planning and believe me it won't work. Riley will die and it will be your fault."

Victoria snarled, baring her poisoned teeth at Bella. "You have six months, bitch. If you don't have a resolution by then…" She left the rest unsaid. "Now release me or the deal is off. I know you can't keep me here indefinitely."

The wolves growled. Jacob ordered them to simmer down. He didn't like this any more than they did. But there was no choice. Bella had achieved the one thing they needed, time. He was so proud of her. She had shown unwavering courage in the face of adversity. Jacob switched his attention back to a glowering Victoria. God, he was finding it difficult to step aside. His wolf was baying for him to follow his natural instinct and rip her to shreds. He bared his teeth at Victoria, lunging toward the red head in a threatening manner. She snarled viciously before leaping above their heads.

"Six months." She screamed at Bella. "The clock is ticking."

Jacob howled a warning. He dove after Victoria, his brothers following close behind as they chased her off their lands. Bella watched them go until they were swallowed up by the night. Her courage failed her. She would have fallen if not for Leah. She sagged in the she-wolfs hard arms and hid her face in Leah's shoulder. "Have I done the right thing?" She whispered brokenly.

"You did what you had to in order to survive." Leah assured her. "Just like we all do." She began to lead Bella back down the beach. "Jacob, Sam and the others will be gone for a while. I'll take you home."

"Thanks, Lee. For everything." Bella said in a small voice.

"You're welcome, sis." Leah replied gently. The two girls put their arms around each other as they headed for home.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	30. Chapter 30

**Back to the Beginning**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews. I have caught up with the chapters I've written now.**_

 **Part Twenty Nine**

Bella was finding it difficult to sleep. She was at home in Forks. She couldn't make any more excuses to Charlie for staying over at the Black's for yet another night. Jacob was out patrolling with his pack. They wanted to make sure that Victoria was really gone. Bella couldn't stop worrying about everything. She was relieved that she had managed to buy some time, but that still didn't mean she had any answers. She raised her arm and looked at the silvery scar adorning her left wrist. It had faded over time but you could still see the outline of James' teeth. Bella tried not to think about that night. She sometimes still had nightmares about it. If Edward and the others hadn't reached her so quickly she would have either been dead or a vampire by now. Bella felt sick inside. At one point that had been her exact intention. Alice had often said that she had foreseen that it was going to happen. Even after things changed, the little seer kept persisting that it was true.

There was a gentle knock on the door." Bells." It was Charlie. "Are you awake?"

Bella rolled onto her side and reached out to switch on the small bedside lamp. "Yes, come in." She called out.

Charlie opened the door and edged into the room. He gave her a small smile. "It feels like I haven't seen you in a while." He perched on the edge of her bed. "You're always at Billy's these days."

His words made Bella feel guilty. It was true. She had hardly been home, well not in this time line anyway. Her face heated up as she remembered her last encounter with Charlie in the other universe. Her father had caught her and Jacob together in a compromising position. She dismissed the image from her mind and smiled apologetically at Charlie. "I'm sorry about that."

"I get it." Charlie glanced around her bedroom. He took in the cream walls and the dark purple bedspread covering the bed. His eyes eventually landed on the cork board hanging on the wall nearest the window. Bella had several photos pinned on it. Most of them were of Jacob and his dad. There were also a few of Renee. Charlie felt hurt when he saw that his face wasn't among them. He returned his attention to Bella. "I know it can get lonely here sometimes. I would like to spend more time together."

"We have been." Bella reminded him. "We went to that game and we eat at the diner."

"It doesn't sound like much does it." Charlie said regretfully, shaking his head.

Bella peered at Charlie curiously. This was a strange mood he was in. She pulled her knees up to her chest and looped her arms around them. "Dad, is something wrong?"

"Not really." Charlie mustered up another smile but it didn't reach his eyes. "It's just I worry about you sometimes."

"But I'm fine." Bella assured him.

"I leave you alone too much." Charlie countered.

"I like my own company. I'm like my dad in that way." Bella teased him.

"You're a good kid." Charlie patted her hand. "I'm glad you came back to live here, Bells. I missed you."

This was such an un-Charlie thing to say that Bella was deeply touched. They were not usually very demonstrative toward each other but she couldn't help flinging her arms around him and drawing him closer. "I missed you too, dad." She whispered. Charlie hesitantly put his own arms around her. When she pulled back it wasn't only her eyes glistening with tears.

* * *

It was morning. Charlie had reluctantly left for the station. She was still at home, supposedly doing her on-line course work. She hadn't even bothered to start. She might not even be alive in six months if a cure couldn't be found. Spending endless hours doing essays seemed pointless. Instead she was going through some old photo albums. Her little chat with Charlie the night before had sparked up nostalgic feelings. Bella realised she had hardly spoken to her mom in a long time. She missed Renee. She had tried calling but Renee hadn't answered her cell, so Bella had sent her a long email instead, asking her mother to get in contact. She flipped through the biggest album, smiling as she realised it was full of baby pictures. Charlie had certainly taken a lot of them when she was first born, right up until a year old.

Her smile soon faded though. The pictures of her soon lessened to one a year. Her poses were formal, having been taken in school by a professional photographer. These were the ones Renee had sent Charlie over the years. He had kept every one. They were all neatly labelled with the date and year they had been taken. It was sad in a way. Back then she had only come for visits maybe once or twice a year. Then after the age of twelve she had stopped coming at all.

"Hey, honey."

Bella was startled by the sound of Jacob's voice. She had been so deep in thought that she wasn't aware that he had come into the house. "You have to stop doing that." She scolded him as she put a hand over her racing heart.

"Sorry." Jacob apologised. "I did call out when I came in." He had entered the house through the back door. It was always left unlocked. For a police chief Charlie wasn't exactly security conscious. "What are you doing?" He sat beside her on the sofa and took her hand in his.

"I was just feeling a bit nostalgic." Bella motioned toward the photo albums.

Jacob picked up the one closest to him. "Aw look at you. You were so cute back then."

"And I'm not now?" Bella questioned archly.

"Now, you're even cuter." Jacob laughed at her disgruntled expression. "What sparked off this trip down memory lane?"

"Just something my dad said." Bella replied absently. She shut the photo albums and began to clear them away. "He seemed so sad and full of regrets. I wish things had been different. I wish we'd had more time to reconnect." She felt tears well in her eyes. Despite her vow not to dwell on it she couldn't stop thinking about how limited her time was. Six months sounded like a long time, but in reality it wasn't. She could hear the clock ticking.

"Bella, it's gonna be alright." Jacob cuddled her close. He could have kicked himself for being so blasé when he had first arrived. He wished he had been able to stay with her during the night, but he couldn't. He had to make certain that Victoria had left the reservation, and then afterwards he had accompanied his father to see Old Quil. It had been agreed by all concerned to leave the other elders out of it for now. Jeremiah, especially, would try and stir up trouble if it was known that Jacob had let a cold one go unharmed.

"I'll be fine. I'm just being stupid." Bella swiped at her eyes.

"C'mere." Jacob lifted her up and pulled her onto his lap. "You're allowed to be upset, you know. It's been a stressful few days."

"You're still holding it together." Bella wiped her eyes again. "I'm sorry. I'll get my shit together I promise."

Jacob leaned down and kissed her, letting his lips linger for a moment. He loved her so much. It killed him seeing her so upset. He wanted to take all her pain away. He reluctantly pulled away and stroked her hair. He wished he didn't have to burden her with more crap but he had no choice. "Old Quil wants to see you." He revealed.

"Me?" Bella was puzzled.

"Yeah, he wants to introduce you to a friend of his." Jacob continued to stroke Bella's hair as he explained what the elder had told him. "Her name is Amy. She lives on the Makah reservation even though she isn't affiliated with the tribe." A shamefaced expression crossed his handsome face. "Me, Quil and Embry used to call her a witch when we were younger. She's got this long frizzy white hair and a hooked nose. She's ancient. Way older then Old Quil, and that's saying something." Jacob frowned. "She calls herself a healer. The local tribeswomen often go to her for advice. She's often called on as a midwife…."

Bella knew it was dumb but she actually felt a little frightened of this Amy, and she hadn't even met her. She didn't understand how this woman was supposed to help her. "Is Old Quil going to tell her the full story? We have to be careful who we trust, Jacob." Bella began to panic.

"We can trust her." Jacob assured Bella quickly. "Outside of the elders of the tribe she is the only other person who knows about the pack."

This was surprising news. "That's big."

"Yeah, I was shocked when Old Quil let that slip, considering what a big deal they all made about outsiders knowing our secret." Jacob shook his head. "Anyway that doesn't matter now. If you don't feel up to meeting Amy then…"

"No, I'm ready." Bella didn't want to waste time. All she could hear was the incessant ticking of a clock in her head. Every second lost was time wasted. "Let's go."

"Are you sure?" Jacob checked.

"I'm sure." Bella replied nervously.

Jacob wasn't fooled but he wasn't going to call Bella out on it. He just hoped that this Amy had something tangible to tell them, otherwise this was all just going to lead to another dead end, and he was worried that Bella wasn't in the right emotional place to take yet another knock back.

* * *

Bella hated to admit it but Amy did look like a witch. All she needed was a broomstick and a tall hat. Her skin was wrinkled like an almond nut. She had an abundance of frizzy white hair, which stood out at odd angles against her head. A pair of spectacles was perched on the end of her overlarge nose. Jacob hadn't been kidding. It was hooked. "See what I mean." He whispered to Bella.

"I may be old, but I am not deaf." Amy wheezed as she glared at Jacob.

"Show some respect." Old Quil scolded Jacob. He apologised to Amy profusely but she waved them away irritably. The elder sighed and motioned toward Bella. "This is the young lady I spoke to you about."

"Come closer girl." Amy snapped irritably. She shifted awkwardly in Old Quil's expensive armchair. She had ejected him from it as soon as she had arrived at the Ateara's. She was quite a large woman and it was the only chair that could accommodate her huge bulk.

Bella exchanged a nervous glance with Jacob. He smiled at her encouragingly as he watched her edge closer to the old woman. "It's nice to meet you." She said politely.

"Fiddlesticks." Amy muttered. "It's never nice to meet me. I am what I am." She shot a sideways glare at Old Quil. "You know that from past experience don't you, Quil."

"I thought you were old friends." Bella faltered.

Old Quil was looking extremely uncomfortable. He tugged at the collar of his shirt and smiled sheepishly at Amy. "We are now."

Amy made a clicking noise with her tongue. "This old fool had me run off the reservation back in the day. He was the one who branded me a witch, him and every other ignorant fool on the council." She poked the elder with her walking stick. "You soon learned your lesson though, didn't you?" Amy cackled as she watched Old Quil's face pale. "Stupid old man." She muttered again. She recollected herself and returned her attention to Bella. "I told you to come here girl. As you can see my eyesight isn't what it was."

Bella swallowed nervously. This old woman seemed as crazy as Victoria. She took a few small steps toward the ancient crone and then stopped. Amy cackled again. She seemed to be getting a kick out of everyone's reaction to her. "Show me the scar." She rasped. She snorted impatiently when Bella hesitated. "Come on girl. I won't bite." She laughed again as if at some private joke.

Bella glanced behind her at Jacob again. He was glaring at the old woman, obviously not impressed with what he saw. His expression softened when he noticed Bella looking his way. He gave her an encouraging smile and her nerves eased. She faced the old woman again and lifted the sleeve of her shirt to reveal the silvery scar on her left wrist. Amy grabbed Bella's hand in a surprisingly strong grip for a woman of her age. Bella tried to yank her hand back, but Amy was already tracing the scar with her forefinger. Bella yelped. Amy's touch was icy cold, the scar burned under her touch.

Jacob was on his feet at once. He broke Bella's hand free from the ancient crone's icy grip and glared at her. "What the hell are you doing?" He demanded.

Amy guffawed with laughter. She sat back, her dark eyes glowing with mischief. She slapped her knee in glee. "There he goes, right on cue." She prodded Old Quil with her walking stick again, making the elder wince. "Just like Ephraim, always running to protect a damsel in distress." Her expression turned calculating. "Except this damsel has venom running through her veins."

"This is a joke." Jacob cuddled Bella close to him, shielding her from Amy's view. "We're not going to play your sick game."

"Oh, sit down." Amy waved her stick around, narrowly missing Old Quil's eye. She sighed irritably and began to roll up her own sleeve. "There is a reason my touch hurt her." She lifted her arm to reveal a scar very similar to Bella's just above her left elbow.

"Shit." Jacob swore. Bella gasped as she stared at the bite mark in the crease of Amy's elbow. "You were bitten by a cold one too." He stared at the old crone in disbelief. "But you're human…."

"So is she." Amy pointed out. She actually rolled her eyes. "The venom was sucked out of me just like it was her."

"By who?" Bella finally found her voice as curiosity won out over fear. "There are few vampires who have the willpower needed to do that."

"Catch up girl. You know very well who." Amy thrust her sleeve down again. "Why do you think Ephraim made the treaty with him and allowed his coven to stay nearby? It was payment for saving his imprints life. The imprint being me."

"It was Carlisle." Bella breathed. She turned to gaze at Jacob, he appeared horrified. "But how can you still be alive?"

"Quil, is it me or are all the younger generation this dim." Amy waved her hand airily in the elder's face. It was a statement not a question. "Don't answer that you old fool." A twisted smile lit up her face. "Now listen. I am already tired of talking. Like you I still have some venom trickling through my veins. One of the side effects is a long life. I have outlived everyone that I ever knew or loved."

"You were Ephraim's imprint." Jacob stared at the old woman in disgust. "Doesn't that make you my…."

"Well isn't that a lovely welcome into the family." Amy sneered. "That makes me your great grandmother, boy." There was a bitter edge to her tone when she continued. "You're disgusted aren't you? How do you think poor Ephraim felt when he imprinted with the ugliest girl in the tribe? I was an outcast until that happened. The elders couldn't believe it. They thought I had put a curse on Ephraim. He was forced to defend me even then."

"That's not what I…" Jacob couldn't find the words. He felt Bella's fingers curl around his and he held on tight. "You knew all this." His words were directed to Old Quil. "You knew about her."

"Not the full story." Old Quil rubbed a hand over his face. "Amy wasn't lying when she said that I was one of those who mistrusted her and her ways and branded her a witch. I drove her off. It wasn't until later that I learned some of her story. But I was sworn to secrecy. She only told me about the vampire bite when I reached out to her for help regarding your situation."

The elder looked ashamed at his past actions. Jacob wondered how far he and the other old men had gone to drive Amy away. He didn't think Old Quil and Amy were really friends now. What was that saying? Keep your friends close but your enemies closer. His eyes flicked back to the old woman. They were related, this should mean something, but Jacob couldn't hide his dislike. His sixth sense was telling him not to trust her. She was consumed with bitterness and hatred. He wondered what the relationship between Ephraim and Amy had been like. It was just another reason why he loathed imprinting. "Can you help us?" He asked warily.

Amy's expression turned calculating again. She licked her lips as she glanced at Bella. "I'll try." She said with a sly smile. "Isn't that what _families_ do."

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	31. Chapter 31

**Back to the Beginning**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you very much for the reviews and for following this story!**_

 **Part Thirty**

Bella was cooking. Jacob watched as she scooted around the kitchen like a whirling dervish. She wouldn't let him help. She said she needed the distraction. He knew the meeting with Amy had upset her, it had him. He was still trying to process the fact that he was related to the old woman. It didn't seem possible. There was nothing about her that seemed familiar. He couldn't see any likeness between them at all. And he couldn't shake his distrust. They had left the Ateara's shortly after Amy had agreed to help. "I need time to think." She had muttered. "Leave me. I'll be in touch."

Jacob finally tore his eyes away from Bella and returned his attention to Billy. His father was sitting hunched over in his chair. He looked like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. Jacob could relate to that. "Why did you never tell me about Amy?" He asked his father in a low voice.

"I don't like or trust her." Billy admitted. "I am angry that Old Quil even introduced you."

"Is she lying?" Jacob asked worriedly. His father's revelation had surprised him. "Old Quil introduced her as an old friend."

"He's frightened of her." Billy muttered. "With good reason."

"Dad, stop being so cryptic." Jacob said angrily. He thought they were beyond keeping secrets from each other. But, here they were again. "Just talk to me."

Billy glanced toward the kitchen. Bella was still preoccupied making dinner. He motioned for Jacob to keep his voice down so she wouldn't overhear their conversation. "You know that Old Quil is one of the few living members of the tribe who was alive during the time of the previous pack." Billy rubbed a hand over his face tiredly. "His father, Quil Ateara II, was one of the three original wolves who made a treaty with the Cullen's. He witnessed many of the comings and goings among the pack and their inner circle."

"So he knew Amy." Jacob breathed in awe. He often wondered how old the elder was. No one ever really questioned Old Quil about his age out of a sign of respect. But this shed a whole new light on things as far as Jacob was concerned. "He knew about Ephraim's imprint with Amy?"

"Not at the time. He was very young. He was ignorant of the pack's existence until he was a much older man. Suffice to say Amy's imprint with Ephraim was very controversial. She was kind of an outcast; she lived on the fringes of the tribe. She had a shaky reputation for stirring up trouble. She also had none of the bloodlines directly linking her to the pack or their imprints." Billy paused as he tried to choose his words carefully. "Amy wasn't Ephraim's first imprint. His first was a young girl from the Ateara bloodline."

"I didn't know this." Jacob whispered incredulously.

"No. It was a short lived imprint. The unfortunate girl died under suspicious circumstances. The finger was pointed directly at Amy. Many accused her of putting a curse on the young girl. She had been seen with Ephraim's imprint only hours before."

"But then she imprinted with Ephraim herself." Jacob's brow furrowed in confusion.

"Yes, very soon afterward." Billy replied. He glanced toward the kitchen. It was quiet in there now. Bella was standing in front of the stove, stirring something in a pan. He lowered his voice even further. "Amy was brought before Ephraim. He was to decide her fate. He was overwhelmed with sadness and anger. He raised his head and looked directly into her eyes, his face a mask of pain. Amy stood before him, showing no fear whatsoever, considering how dire her situation was. It was reported that she looked triumphant. Old Quil's father was right beside his Alpha when the supposed imprint occurred between Amy and Ephraim. He said that something wasn't right about it. He thought that his chief had a spell cast upon him."

"Is that why Old Quil held a grudge against Amy? Is that why he had her run off the reservation?" Jacob questioned.

"Yes. His own father was very vocal about his hatred for the woman. He accused her of ruining Ephraim. It was true that Ephraim's decisions after his union with her became more bizarre as time passed. It led to his early death, again in suspicious circumstances. Amy has done some very questionable things over the years. She wasn't called a witch for nothing. Those who have gotten on the wrong side of her have paid the price." Billy swallowed thickly.

"Does that include Old Quil? I thought they were friends now." Jacob felt his heart racing in his chest. He felt sickened. He waited pensively for the answer.

"Like I said he's frightened of her. He's scared what she might do. You know his son died in that boating accident. This was mere weeks after Old Quil and his friends had run her off the reservation. She cursed him, telling him he would pay dearly for his crimes. Even though it was deemed a tragic accident, he always believed Amy somehow caused his son's death in revenge. He's worried for young Quil too. He thinks if he crosses her than she could harm his grandson too." Billy's expression hardened. "Now he has brought the woman into the midst of my family. How dare he?" His fist banged on the arm of his chair. "Amy must have frightened him into doing it. Rumours have been swirling on the reservation about you and the others. Add Bella into the mix and it would arouse Amy's suspicions." He shook his head in disbelief. "Never would I have thought that she had been bitten by a cold one."

Jacob felt his own anger rising. How dare Old Quil? He inhaled sharply, trying to contain his temper. He didn't want Bella to see him like this. He needed time to process this news himself before he told her. He had sensed there was something amiss with his so called great grandmother. It nauseated him to think that he was actually related to the woman. Could she really have been behind all those tragic deaths? Or had history painted an unkind picture of her. Jacob believed it was the former. There was something cold and calculating about the woman that reminded him very much of Victoria. Jacob rubbed his temples. His gut instinct was telling him that somehow this was all related.

"It's ready." Bella's soft voice startled him. He had been so lost in his own head that he hadn't heard her approach. He watched her frown. "Is everything okay?" She asked nervously, picking up on the tense atmosphere.

"It's fine." Jacob plastered on a smile, but he knew Bella wasn't fooled. He saw hurt cross her pretty face. She knew he wasn't telling her the truth. "Actually it's not fine." He admitted. He saw Billy shoot him a warning look out of the corner of his eyes, but he ignored his father. He wasn't going to lie to Bella. They were always truthful with one another. "Dad has been telling me some things about Amy."

"Oh. I take it they weren't good. " Bella fell silent. It wasn't unexpected. Even before she had met the woman she had felt a stab of fear. It was so odd to think that the old woman had been bitten in the same way she had, and that it was Carlisle Cullen who had been the one to save her. It seemed very convenient. He had been in the right place at the right time. In saving Amy it had enabled him to make the treaty with the wolves. "I know it sounds stupid, but she reminded me of James." Her cheeks turned rosy as she worried about insulting one of the Black's ancestors. "I just got the same vibe from her that I felt when I first encountered him." She hung her head. "I'm sorry."

"Hey, don't be sorry." Jacob pulled her into his arms and dropped a kiss on top of her head. "I don't trust her either, honey. Neither does dad."

This was a surprise to Bella, but she was glad too. She had been feeling guilty about her feelings. It was a relief that Jacob and Billy shared them too. She pulled away from Jacob and mustered up a smile. "Come on you can fill me in over dinner."

"It won't be easy to hear, Bella." Jacob warned her as he put an arm around her shoulders.

"I know that." Bella said wearily. "But I would rather know then be kept in the dark. I'm stronger than you think." This last phrase was directed toward Billy, who had the grace to look ashamed. She had guessed he was the one who had cautioned Jacob to keep quiet in case it upset her. "Let's eat. The food will get cold otherwise." She continued as she led the way into the kitchen.

* * *

Bella left a message for Charlie on the answerphone telling him that she would be spending the night in La Push. She did feel guilty for abandoning her dad again, but she needed to be with Jacob. She felt so tense and wound up. Hearing Amy's backstory had shaken her. It just all added to the fear and confusion that made up her life these days. The only real and solid thing in her world was Jacob. She loved him so much. Even though she had protested that she was stronger than she appeared, Bella had to concede she felt pretty frail right now. It felt like there was a monster hiding around every corner, and that everyone who offered help had some hidden agenda. Bella wondered what Amy's agenda was. In her mind it couldn't be good.

Billy retired early pleading exhaustion. Jacob helped his dad get ready for bed before returning to Bella. He sat beside her on the old couch, his elbows resting on his knees. He felt utterly spent himself, not physically, but mentally. Like Bella, the constant tension was taking its toll. He so badly needed to unwind. He turned to face her and his stomach lurched when he saw the fear and sadness written all over her face. She was too thin. She had hardly touched her food. He was so worried about her. How much more could she take? Could any of them take? He had promised to protect her, to keep her safe. But how could he when he wasn't even sure who their enemy was anymore.

"Don't Jacob." Bella broke through his thoughts.

"Don't what?"

"Beat yourself up. You are protecting me." Bella smiled sadly.

"Can you read minds now?" Jacob asked incredulously.

"Just yours." Bella touched his face with gentle fingers. "I love you, Jacob."

"Love you more." Jacob leaned forward and kissed her, his mouth pressed gently but firmly against hers. His tongue slid past her lips making her gasp. As he backed away to breathe, Bella caught his lower lip between her teeth and released it slowly. That was new. Jacob shifted; his hand lowering as he began to unbutton her shirt. Bella sighed softly, closing her eyes. The thin material of her shirt parted and Jacob dropped his head so he could kiss one of her breasts. She wasn't wearing a bra. His hand caressed her other one. Bella breathed heavily as her skin tightened under his touch.

Bella reached for Jacob's t-shirt, but he stilled her hand, instead tugging it over his head in one swift movement. Bella drank in the sight of him. He was so damn beautiful. He simply took her breath away every time. She lay back on the couch, her body was electrified everywhere his skin brushed against hers. She wanted him now, wanted to feel his weight pressed against her body as he lay between her legs. A sweet ache began to slowly build up in the pit of her stomach as Jacob continued to worship her body. His lips swept kisses across her chest as he took her breast in his mouth. Bella gasped again, her fingers dug into his shoulders as she arched her back. He raised his head, smiling. "Feel less tense now." He teased.

"Yes." Bella struggled to speak as his hand trailed down her stomach, just under the waistband of her jeans. He popped the button. He teased her for a while, before running his hand over her thigh and then under her bottom, squeezing gently.

"Let's get these off, shall we." Jacob laughed at the needy moan escaping Bella's lips. He kissed her, slowly, languorously, working her up into a fever pitch of excitement. Jacob slipped Bella's jeans off her legs, they got ruched up around her ankles and she kicked them off impatiently. Her panties soon followed.

He was hard and ready. She could feel him pressed against her side. "I love you." She murmured, seeking his lips again. His every touch sent a pleasant jolt through her body. She bucked under his hand as he teased her nipples. Her breathing became ragged, as did his.

Jacob paused, his mouth hovering close to hers. "I love you so much." He said earnestly. He kissed her again, his tongue moving in rhythm with hers, tasting, melding together. Jacob shifted again, moving agilely between her thighs. He continued to kiss her. Jacob moved his hand over her hip and cupped her butt in his hand, gently kneading her ass cheeks. He smiled into the kiss as he slipped inside. Bella wrapped her legs around him, pulling him further in. She wanted him so badly, all of him. Her body quivered against his as he began to thrust. Her legs gripped him tighter as she milked every bit of pleasure she could. He moved faster, increasing the pressure until the burning ache inside needed to be released. With every nerve end tingling, Bella whispered his name as her body shook with her orgasm. Jacob followed her soon after. Spent, he rolled off of her and tucked her against his side.

"I'll always take care of you, Bella. I love you." Jacob promised as he watched her eyelids close. Soon she fell into an exhausted sleep. It took him a lot longer.

 _ **A/N-thank you for reading!**_


	32. Chapter 32

**Back to the Beginning**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Part Thirty One**

Days passed. Bella spent most of her time in La Push. To absolve her guilt about neglecting her dad, Billy invited Charlie to come over as often as his work allowed. It eased everyone's mind that Bella was safely tucked up in La Push, with the wolves nearby to guard her. Billy threw a bonfire party to distract his friend. Charlie was noticing the odd comings and goings of Jacob and the others and began to question it. The tension was rife. Bella was having difficulty hiding her own jitters. The bonfire party was a good way for everyone to blow off some steam. The whole pack couldn't be there all together, but when the shifts changed, they all spent time there. Billy enlisted Harry's help to keep Charlie entertained. Harry, after his initial reluctance and distrust of Bella, was happy to oblige. Leah had given her father a good ticking off. He was apprised of the latest chain of events, and finally conceded he had been wrong all along. The three men got roaring drunk and sported hangovers for the next two days straight. As for the wolves, they drank little; they were on full alert, Jacob most of all.

More time passed. Amy still hadn't made her move. Jacob had sent some of his pack to spy on her and keep track of her movements. After his talk with Billy his mistrust of the old woman had only been heightened. As far as he could tell she seemed to be going about her everyday routine as normal. She was doing nothing to arouse suspicions. After two weeks of constant vigilance Jacob called his pack together for a meeting.

"She goes to the local store, comes home and that's pretty much it." Paul reported. He was tired of watching the old woman day after day. Like the others he had an instinctual dislike for Amy, but he couldn't tell why. She had done nothing to warrant his ambivalent feelings. "Occasionally she drifts into the forest and gathers some of the wild flowers. Or she's fussing around in that herb garden of hers. But that is all."

"Thanks Paul." Jacob said wearily. "Jared?" He looked toward Jared Cameron to see if he had anything else to add.

"Same." Jared shrugged. "She lives quite a lonely life really. It's pretty sad. I can't believe she's your great grandmother, dude." He scratched his chin. "To think she was Ephraim's imprint." He shook his head in disbelief.

Everyone fell silent for a while. Bella was sitting in-between Jacob and Leah. Like she had for the past few days she felt cold. Her skin was icy. She was often seeking warmth from either Jacob, or Leah when he was out patrolling. She knew that Jacob was intensely worried about her, Leah too. Her sudden drop in temperature couldn't be explained. She had been feeling increasingly exhausted too. Even doing little things seemed like an effort. Bella was afraid. Something wasn't right. She was scared that this was the end result of her constant trips back and forth through time.

"There has to be a connection somehow." Leah was the first to break the silence. She heard Bella's shallow breathing and glanced at her friend in concern. "We're missing something." She continued in frustration.

"Easy, Lee." Sam warned her. He hunkered down in front of his girlfriend and put a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it gently. He heard Leah emit a soft sigh. When he was certain that she was calmer, he looked to Jacob. His Alpha's attention was focused on Bella. No one could fail to notice that Bella was flagging badly. "We should go over what we do know again." He suggested.

"Bella?" Jacob asked. He had his arm around her. He could hear her heart fluttering in her chest like a tiny bird trying to escape from a cage. "You should rest."

"No, I'm okay." Bella smiled tremulously at him. She didn't want to lie down and close her eyes. She worried that she might not wake up again. "Please Jacob, I'll be alright. We should do what Sam suggested. It's a good idea."

Jacob sighed, knowing that any further protests from him would fall on deaf ears. Instead he made sure that Bella was nestled comfortably against his side before returning his focus to his pack. "Right, you all know the history. We've explained about Bella's trips back and forth through the various time zones. We don't know how often she has done it. From what the Victoria in her timeline said, it seemed Bella's memories were wiped each time."

"She kept following the same path." Leah reminded them. She took Bella's free hand between her own. Bella looked at Leah gratefully. She didn't have the energy to speak for herself. She swallowed thickly as she battled to keep her eyes open.

"Victoria wants Bella to change something or do something to influence events in her own reality to save this Riley guy she is fixated on." Sam pointed out.

"Bella is bonded with Victoria because they were both bitten by the same vampire. If she dies, Victoria dies." Seth interjected. "Amy has been bitten by a vampire too."

"But what vampire?" Paul mused. "The connection between Amy and Bella is that it was one of the Cullen's who extracted the venom from their blood, although some remains in both of them."

"It also gives them a long life." Embry interrupted him. "And like Jared said Amy is Ephraim's imprint. None of us have imprinted yet, mainly because Bella warned us about what might happen to some of us." He smiled apologetically at Sam and Leah, who were both scowling. For them it was definitely a sore subject. Embry's gaze travelled to Quil and he frowned. It was even more uncomfortable for him to think about. According to Bella, Quil was going to imprint on a child. Embry shuddered.

"I think we're getting off topic now." Jacob warned everyone. "I don't want to start up the imprinting debate again."

"What if it is relevant?" Quil said suddenly. It was the first time he had spoken. His open face was stern, unusually serious. "This Amy is an imprint, supposedly. There is a cloud of suspicion hanging over her head. We all agree we feel uneasy around her. I know she's your ancestor, man." This was directed at Jacob. "But I get the same feelings about her like I do about the cold ones."

His words pierced the fog coating Bella's brain, making her sit up and take notice. "I get that feeling too." She admitted quietly. "When I'm around her I'm reminded of James."

One by one the others nodded. Jacob's hold on Bella tightened. It was clear now that it wasn't just him who thought the same. He hadn't openly voiced his distrust of the old woman to the others; he had wanted them to make up their own minds. It seemed now they had. "I want this Amy kept as far away from Bella as possible." He ordered them. No one refuted him. They all fell silent again as they mulled over the facts.

Seth held up his hand suddenly, like he was in school and trying to get the teacher's attention. Jacob tried to hide his smile as he motioned for the young shifter to speak. "This is probably gonna be a dumb question." He smiled sheepishly.

"Just say what you want, Seth." Jacob urged him.

Seth shot a nervous glance at Bella. He seemed to be debating whether his question would upset her or not. Leah snapped at her brother to just speak. Seth sighed, shooting his sister a dark look, before facing his Alpha again. "When you told us about that trip to the other reality, you know the weird one, where things were all different. There were two of you. So that meant that there were two Jacob's." Seth felt his skin warm up as he noticed the impatient looks from his brothers. He decided to forge ahead anyway. "Well it's odd that there were two of you there, but only one Bella. It's like all the other times Bella has moved back and forth too. Why is she never running into herself?"

Seth's question silenced them all. They were dumbstruck and completely stunned that none of them had thought of this before. Jacob kicked himself for not questioning it. Everything had been so chaotic and he'd had so much to focus on it simply hadn't entered his frazzled mind. He looked at Bella. Her face had paled considerably. Her brown eyes were wide with confusion and fear. "Oh no…." She whispered.

"Bella…." Jacob's grip on her tightened as her as he watched her eyes roll back in her head. "NO, STAY WITH ME, HONEY. BELLA…." It was too late. Bella began to seize in his arms, her body jerking manically. He tried to hold on but she was already fading before his eyes.

* * *

It was so cold. Bella's eyelids fluttered open. She moaned softly as the bright light from the midday sun burned her pupils. She flipped onto her side, her fingers sinking into the soft snow beside her. "No." She began to panic as realisation dawned. She was back in her own timeframe.

"You need to stay still." A deep masculine voice spoke.

Bella's heart raced madly in her chest. It took all of her courage to turn her head so she could see who had addressed her. She blinked a few times, trying to adjust her eyes to the light. When her vision came into focus she couldn't believe what she was seeing. "Riley? Riley Biers?" She whispered.

A twisted smile crossed his handsome face. He was hunkered down beside her in the snow. His red eyes glowed fiercely for a moment before the light died. "That was my name once." He said bitterly. "Riley will do." Bella tried to sit up but she didn't have the strength. Riley gently pushed her back to the ground. "You need to conserve your strength."

"I don't understand." Bella choked out. "Where's Victoria?" A sudden thought occurred to her. The last time she had seen Riley in this universe he had been fighting Seth. "Where's Seth?" She began to panic. Had Riley killed the young shifter? Her heart bled and tears welled in her eyes.

"If by Seth you mean the wolf, then he's over there." Riley pointed vaguely behind him. "He'll be fine. I just knocked him out for a while."

Bella could breathe easier again. She sank into the cold snow, letting the chill numb her. She didn't know what to think or feel. Her mind was whirling with confusion. "I don't know what's happening to me."

"You're dying Bella." Riley said in anguish. He tore his gaze away and glanced to his right. "And so is she." A dry sob erupted from his throat.

Bella rolled over so she could see. It took a considerable amount of effort. Then she saw her. Victoria was lying a few feet away. Her vibrant red hair was like a blood stain coating the white snow. Her back was facing Bella so she couldn't see Victoria's face. "Why?" She twisted around to face a devastated Riley.

"Each time you travelled back through time it took its toll on both of you. Even vampires have their limits. She's using what little strength she has left to keep the last few breaths in your body. You are the only one left now." Riley stated urgently.

It hit Bella like a freight train. Of course she was dead! Her counterparts in the other time lines had perished. They hadn't achieved their aim and in doing so had died. "Why did she never tell me that?" Bella demanded bitterly.

"Because she knew it would frighten you. She needed you fully focused on your task." Riley confessed. He ran his fingers through his messy hair. "This is your last chance. Things are changing here. I'm alive. Edward Cullen is dead. You are on the right path. You are close. You hold the key in your hand. You just have to connect the dots. But you don't have time. Vicki is fading. She can't keep going like this for much longer. Please, I can't lose her. Someone is controlling things from the other side, and it's not my Vicki. It's someone near you, someone you've come into contact with that you hadn't before. Please….." Riley's voice was fading.

 _Bella felt her vision wavering. The breath was sucked from her lungs. Noise filled her ears, many voices, calling her name…._

"Bella…" Bella's eyes jerked open. She took in a lungful of air. It was painful. Slowly her vison swam into focus. Jacob's beloved face came into view. His pain filled eyes widened in blessed relief when they met hers. "Oh, honey." He smoothed her sweat soaked hair back from her face. "I was so scared that I lost you. I was going to follow, but you came back."

Bella struggled to rise. She felt so drained, so full of exhaustion. Jacob helped her sit up and she remained propped against him. She saw the others circled in a group behind Jacob. Leah was at the front. Her sudden seizure had scared all of them. It had been so abrupt and sudden. Bella breathed in again, trying to contain her rising panic. Once again time was trickling through her fingers. She noticed Seth standing right at the back. He hovered behind the others, looking immensely guilty. "It seems you were the only one who saw what should have been obvious, Seth." Bella rasped. Her throat burned.

"I'm sorry, Bella." Seth apologised. "I never meant…"

"No, don't be sorry." Bella smiled sadly at the young shifter.

"Bella." Jacob was still stroking her hair. He pressed his warm lips onto her forehead, holding her close. "You scared the shit out of me. What the hell happened?"

Bella gazed up at Jacob. Should she tell him the whole truth? He would be devastated if he knew the full import of what Riley had told her, but she had never hidden anything from him and she didn't want to start now, no matter how painful. She took another few deep breaths. With her voice barely above a whisper Bella explained to him what she had seen and what Riley had told her. Jacob's grip on her tightened. His eyes became dark, clouded. Sam exchanged a concerned glance with Leah, and as one, they both hunkered down either side of Jacob to offer him and Bella their silent support.

"Riley told me that I have come into contact with a person that I haven't before. It's someone who holds the key to everything, who is controlling things from this side. It has to be Amy." Bella finished breathlessly. She couldn't continue anymore. Even talking too much was draining her.

Jacob's nostrils flared. He raised his head, his fierce stare directed at his pack. "Leah, Seth, I need you to stay with Bella and guard her with your life." He ordered. The two siblings nodded mutely. Jacob reluctantly released his hold on Bella and stood up. Leah immediately replaced him.

"Jacob, please be careful." Bella begged him.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine." Jacob's hard expression softened momentarily. He hunkered down and pressed a light kiss on Bella's lips. They felt so cold. It frightened him. "I love you so much." He murmured by her ear. "I promise I'll get the answers that we need and put an end to this."

Bella tried to smile but it wobbled. She was forced to watch as Jacob turned on his heel and left the house. His brothers followed him silently. Bella closed her eyes in anguish. "Please keep them all safe." She prayed in her head. "Please…"

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	33. Chapter 33

**Back to the Beginning**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Part Thirty Two**

Amy was sitting on the wooden steps leading up to her small rundown cabin. It was as if she was expecting them. Her wrinkled lips were pursed into a gleeful smile and her dark eyes shone with mischief. "Ah, my great grandson and his pack; minus the she-wolf and her baby brother of course." She greeted them all sardonically. "What have I done to be bestowed such an honour."

Jacob had trouble controlling his anger. The old woman had known they were coming. He didn't know how. They had crept up on the house quietly, observing Amy with keen eyes to make sure she was alone. Then upon detecting no immediate danger Jacob had phased into his human form. He strode purposefully out in the open, head held high, his gaze fierce. His brothers followed behind him on silent paws. "You are no relation of mine." Jacob growled menacingly.

Amy's expression shifted to a scowl. She rose up on sturdy legs. The stick she had been accustomed to using was missing. Jacob noted how agile she truly was. The sick old woman was just an act. "Very astute." Amy licked her lips, her tongue flicked out like a snakes. Jacob half expected it to be forked. He kept his eyes trained on Amy. He could sense her power. He believed now that she was truly a witch. History hadn't done her an injustice, it had told the truth.

"You killed my great grandmother." Jacob voiced his suspicions aloud. "She was Ephraim's first imprint….."

A snarl left Amy's throat. Her hands clenched into fists. Her eyes glowed with a malevolence which would have cowed a normal human. Her pupils had coalesced. They were no longer a dark brown, now there was a tinge of red in them. The wolves began to growl, they paced restlessly behind Jacob. He raised his hand to silence them. "You've been joining the dots I see." Amy licked her lips again. They parted and Jacob finally saw the gleam of venom dripping from her barbed teeth. "I suppose its worthless hiding what I am now."

"You're a vampire and a witch." Jacob guessed. Her fetid stench was sickening. "Carlisle Cullen didn't remove all the venom. Some still runs through your veins. You're a hybrid of some kind, human and not human."

Amy laughed. She threw her head back and cackled, the sound was inhuman, frightening. The wolves tensed, looking toward their leader for instructions. Jacob signalled for them to remain calm. He wasn't finished with Amy yet. Somehow she had masked her true scent from them. She wasn't bothering now. He needed more information. Riley had said she was the key. "Yesss…." Amy replied with a sibilant hiss. "I could be called that. The venom in my system enhanced my natural powers. When James bit me it turned me into a goddess. I was supposed to live forever." Her fists clenched again. "And then that fool Carlisle Cullen intervened and tried to stop the change, but he wasn't completely successful. I wasn't a vampire, but it gave me a long life and strength equal to rival any shapeshifter."

"You're fucking twisted." Jacob glared at Amy in disgust. "What spell did you cast on Ephraim to make him think you were his imprint? And what the hell did you do to my great grandmother." He demanded angrily.

"Twisted…." Amy roared. She moved like lightening, her form a blur to the naked eye. She was suddenly in front of Jacob. Her malevolent stare roamed his upper torso, drinking in his muscular frame, and then rising to fixate on his face. "You are the image of Ephraim." She spat. "His soul is your soul." She cackled again, but this time the laughter had a bitter edge to it. "Yes, I killed his great love. She wasn't just his imprint, she was his soul mate. Their spirits were as one. Time and space could never separate them. Even now, whatever form they take, they always try and find their way back to each other." She tapped a wizened finger over her puckered mouth. "Well until I tried to put a stop to it."

Jacob's nostrils flared. The old witch disgusted him. Her fetid scent wafted around him. His wolf was pacing in his chest begging to break free, wanting to put an end to this monstrosity. Jacob tried to contain his wolf, but with difficulty. He had to know the full story. He had to know what Amy had done so he could save Bella as well as himself.

"My plan was going so well too." Amy mused. "I had destroyed Ephraim's soul mate. I gained my rightful place in the tribe after years of being scorned and spat upon. Ephraim was so consumed with grief he made an easy target. I effectively ruled the tribe for years. In his grief it was so easy to manipulate him. I got my vengeance on those who had dared to cross me. I had everything I wanted, except his love of course. There is only so much a woman can take before she's had enough of listening to the man who is supposed to worship her pine over another. She was dead and gone, but still he yearned for her. Pathetic!" She snapped.

"You're sick." Jacob said in revulsion.

"Am I?" Amy's eyes narrowed. "Others were getting suspicious of me, especially other members of the original wolf pack. They began to vocalise their distrust of me. Other members of the tribe began to listen. I was once again thrust into a world of suspicion and hatred. I had to act. Ephraim was no longer any use to me so I disposed of him." She laughed sardonically. "You should fear me, Jacob Black. I have already destroyed one Alpha. I can easily destroy another."

Jacob was full of loathing for this repugnant woman. He couldn't believe that she could have destroyed Ephraim, but history taught him otherwise. She had immense power hidden beneath her wrinkled skin and abhorrent smell. He eyed her like he would a snake. He didn't bother to retaliate further. The old witch was talking. He needed the rest of the story.

"I can see the wheels turning in your head." Amy continued coldly. "Life was no longer a charm for me, especially after Ephraim died. I was forced out of the tribe once again, made to live on the outskirts. I got my revenge on those who crossed me. I may have weakened as I got older, but my passion for revenge only got stronger." Her eyes blazed with fury as she gazed upon Jacob again. "Years passed. I bided my time, waiting. I knew that Ephraim's soul would come around once again. I thought it would reside within your father, but it skipped a generation. Then you came along. I knew that her soul wouldn't be far away from yours, and I was right. I just wasn't expecting where her soul landed. I felt the imprint of her soul the night the chief of police's daughter was born. I was surprised to say the least. Maybe fate was trying to interfere with my plans. I could feel the spirits fighting me. But I wouldn't be thwarted."

"Bella." Jacob breathed in awe. The old witch was talking about Bella. She was his soul mate and he was hers. That was the special connection between them. It wasn't an imprint, they shared a connection so strong that even time couldn't wrench them apart. He swallowed thickly; overcome with emotions so strong he couldn't contain them.

"And there it is! The look of love." Amy sneered. "You pathetic lovesick fool. She'll destroy you just like she did Ephraim."

"You destroyed Ephraim." Jacob roared. "Not her. You killed his heart. How was he supposed to live?"

Amy's lips drew back over her venom soaked teeth. "When the police chief's daughter was snatched away from him I thought maybe fate would keep you apart after all. But I continued to wait. I guessed that she would find her way back to you eventually. I just wasn't expecting it to happen the way it did." Her expression changed again, it became calculating. "Then some things happened that I hadn't foreseen. The damn Cullen's decided it was time to revisit old haunts. They dared to put down roots in Forks again, before I could hatch a good plan to get rid of them, your soul mate rode into town." Amy's eyes glowed wickedly. "Before your souls could reconnect Edward Cullen dazzled her and began his long winded attempt to groom her into being his mate. You were hovering around the edges like a lovesick puppy begging for scraps, but she was dazzled by a far greater power than you had acquired yet."

Jacob was horrified. His brothers were swarming around him, angered by the old witch's evil tale. He was forced to silence them, but his control was slipping. He didn't know how much longer he could keep his wolf at bay.

"Then to make matters more complicated James came around again. The agreement was he stay away." Her scowl deepened. "He had brought a new toy with him, that red headed bitch. She had a plan all of her own. Before I could do anything the police chief's daughter had been bitten just like me, and like me it was one of the Cullen's who sucked out the venom, but he was as sloppy about it as Carlisle had been. She still had droplets in her blood. It ignited her own gifts, some of which she isn't even aware of yet." Amy shook her head, making her white hair fluff out at mad angles around her head. Her eyes were glazed as if she was reliving the past all over again. "So a connection was borne between the three of us. James' venom linked us all. I just hadn't figured that the red headed bitch was insane enough to do what she did. All in the name of love!" Amy cursed. "It was all so mixed up and messy. She began to interfere, joining up the dots. Her crazed plans interfered with my own. She was messing with time. Each time she sent the police chief's daughter back in time to correct her mistakes, I was forced to follow and destroy the girl in each reality. She was trying to reconnect with you, atone for her mistakes. It was all a confused mess. Every time I killed her, I chipped away a bit of her soul. Only one of her remains, in this reality right now. This time she grew clever, with the red headed bitch lending her strength, she managed to remember things, to piece together clues. She followed the right path, one that led straight to you. Her prior knowledge pushed you to accept your destiny, thus making you stronger. The red head was getting closer to what she wanted, your soul mate was getting close to what she wanted and so were you…."

"And ruining everything you fought so hard to achieve." Jacob interrupted her coldly. "I am going to fucking kill you."

The other wolves let out low rumbling growls. They braced themselves, ready for a fight. They sensed it was not going to be an easy one. This old woman was definitely a witch, all powerful, the venom running through her veins only enhanced her abilities. Jacob's form was shimmering. His wolf had taken over. Amy needed to die. She had caused harm to countless members of his tribe. She had harmed Bella over and over. Jacob wasn't thinking straight. Red mist clouded his vision as he phased and prepared to attack.

Amy stood her ground, laughing maniacally. "You fool." She screeched, her long frizzy white locks blew haphazardly in the wind. "You can't kill me. I die, she dies. We are connected through James' venom. I am protected because of your love for her."

Jacob growled, his long claws digging into the dirt. His dark eyes burned with rage and frustration. What was he supposed to do now? This woman was supposed to be the key, but still he couldn't unlock her connection to his Bella. He fought his wolf as its spirit demanded recompense for the harm this evil woman had done to his tribe and for what she represented. Jacob let out an anguished howl. He lunged forward, his sharp teeth snapping near the old woman's neck. She seemed surprised that he had dared to attack at all. But she still stood her ground. "Tick tock…." She hissed in glee.

Then suddenly Jacob's attention was caught by something else. He sniffed the air, the hackles rising along his back. The wind had alerted him to another sickly sweet scent. One he recognised. It was Victoria's, and she wasn't alone. His brothers whined in the back of their throats, heads raised, keen eyes alert for this new threat. Victoria had promised to stay away for six months, she had broken her promise. Jacob knew he shouldn't have trusted her. Was she in league with Amy now? Then that thought was turned on its head as other, more familiar, beloved scents wafted his way. He saw Sam's head whip up, his eyes alert. Jacob could hear voices in his head…Leah's, Seth's. They were coming, running behind Victoria and her male companion, who he assumed was Riley. Someone was riding Leah's back. Jacob nearly dropped to the floor when he saw through Seth's eyes who it was….

Amy had detected the new arrivals too. The malevolent glee was torn from her face as she whirled around, her eyes scanning the treeline. "What is this?" She screeched in fear.

Out of the trees the two vampires appeared. Victoria's red hair blew around her face like a whirling dervish. Her red eyes flicked straight to the wizened old woman standing in front of the wolf pack. A devilish smile crossed her face. "The key." She turned to gaze at her male companion, a loving light lit up her white face. "Are you ready, my love?" She purred.

"Always." Riley took off toward Amy at a fast sprint, his lover by his side.

"Get away from me." Amy screamed. "You can't hurt me. You kill me, you kill yourself." She threatened Victoria.

"But you forget. I'm not human, I'm a vampire." Victoria spat triumphantly. Riley had already grabbed the old woman, his hand clamped over her mouth, stopping her casting any spells. Her hands were wrenched behind her back. Amy struggled in his tight grip. Victoria had hold of Amy's left arm. She wrenched it upward, exposing the old silver scar of James' original bite.

It was at this point Leah and Seth burst out of the trees. Jacob phased on the spot when he saw Bella riding Leah's back. She was spread-eagled between the she-wolf's shoulder blades, hanging on for dear life. "What the hell is going on?" Jacob yelled as he reached her side. He yanked her off of Leah's back and wrapped her up tightly in his arms. He couldn't believe she was here. The last time he had seen her she had been at death's door, but she wasn't now.

"Just watch." Bella's voice was muffled against his broad chest. "Jacob, I need to breathe." She begged.

Jacob let go, just a little. He cupped her beautiful face in his hands. Her skin was no longer icy cold. Her eyes, so dull before, were sparkling with life. She was glowing. "I don't understand." He whispered in awe. "How?"

"Just watch." Bella told him again. She pointed toward Victoria who was grappling with Amy's flailing arm. Eventually the red head got it under control. Then with a malicious smile directed at Amy, she sank her teeth into the old scar and began to suck out James' venom….

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading! In the next chapter we'll get Bella's POV and how she and Victoria hooked up again.**_


	34. Chapter 34

**Back to the Beginning**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews and for still following this crazy story! I promised to show you what happened to Bella. Here it is….**_

 **Part Thirty Three**

 _ **Hours earlier;**_

Leah smoothed Bella's hair back from her face. Her friend was so cold. Her skin was icy. Both Clearwater siblings were trying their best to keep Bella as warm as possible. They huddled around her, one on each side. But still, even their supernatural heat didn't seem to have much effect. Bella was shivering. Her brown eyes were dull and lifeless and the skin on her face appeared translucent. She had been deteriorating since Jacob had left with his pack.

"Let me call Jake back." Leah begged for the hundredth time. She was so worried. She couldn't hide it. Bella was so frail.

"No, he needs to confront Amy." Bella shivered. She felt so ill. Her heart was fluttering in her chest. It was becoming almost painful. She threw Leah a pleading look. "Lee, I need you to do something for me…." She began.

"Don't you dare?" Leah scolded her. She already knew what Bella was building up to. "Don't you dare say goodbye."

"I'm getting worse. You can see it." Bella whispered. She glanced at Seth as the young shifter let out a choked sob. He wasn't hiding his tears, unlike his feisty sister. "I'm dying Leah. Victoria's strength must be waning."

"Don't say that." Leah breathed in anguish. "You'll get through this, just like the other times." She wouldn't be persuaded that this was the end.

Leah reached out and placed a trembling hand on the she-wolf's hot cheek. Her touch was like death. Leah couldn't stop herself flinching, and she hated herself for it. "I love you, Lee." Bella smiled tremulously as tears began to roll down her cheeks. "You've been like a sister to me. I've never had that before. Thank you."

"Don't you do that?" Leah snapped at her. "Don't you dare say your goodbyes?"

Bella continued to cradle Leah's cheek. Her breathing was becoming shallow. Her other hand fumbled for Seth's. She curled her fingers around his. "I love you too, Seth. You take care of her, do you hear me."

Seth couldn't speak. He nodded, his eyes filling up with tears. He hung his head to hide his distress. Bella continued to hold his hand as she tried to draw breath. Her lungs were on fire. She managed to raise her eyes to Leah's one last time. "I…I need you to take care of my Jacob." She gasped. "Tell him I love him and that…that he was the best thing that happened to me."

"Don't Bella." Leah protested. She placed her hand over Bella's and pressed her cold fingers into her cheek.

"Pro…promise me." Bella begged. "I…I need to hear you say it."

Leah couldn't stop her tears now. She sobbed, clutching Bella closer in her anguish. "I promise. I'll look after him. We all will. He'll never be alone."

"Thank you." Bella said faintly. She closed her eyes, the tears continued to spill from under her closed lids. She pressed her forehead onto Leah's and tried to absorb some of the she wolf's strength. She was beyond speech now. All she could do was concentrate on each breath.

Seth couldn't take it anymore. His young heart was breaking. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. He had only read about love in books and watched it in movies, but seeing Jacob and Bella together, the way they looked and interacted, to him it was an inspiration. He'd hoped to have someone look at him the way Bella looked at Jacob one day. It was such an intense love. His parents, Leah and Sam, they loved each other for sure, but something was different about Jacob and Bella's connection. They were staunchly devoted to each other. Seth had observed them together many times. He swore it was like they could read each other's minds. That was his idea of how imprinting should be, not what Billy and the other elders had told him about it. Now, Bella was dying. They weren't going to get their happy ever after. It made Seth so angry. Hot tears continued to pour down his face. It wasn't supposed to end like this. He stood up, his body shaking.

"Sethy…" Leah said in alarm as she stared at her brother in surprise.

"I can't." Seth replied. His tears continued to fall. Bella's eyes were still closed. She seemed tiny as she rested in Leah's arms. "It's not fair." He choked out.

"I know." Leah reached out a hand toward him but Seth retreated. She dropped her hand and gazed at him sadly. She cupped the back of Bella's head and pressed a soft kiss into her hair. "I think you should go and get Jacob now, Sethy." She murmured so only Seth could hear. "I'm going to stay with her."

Seth's mouth wobbled as he turned away and stumbled out of the house. He could hardly see he was crying so much. He made it outside, barely. He leaned against the side of the house, his body shaking with emotion. He knew he needed to get Jacob, but he couldn't force himself to phase. He rubbed the heels of his palms into his eyes to clear the traitorous tears. He had to stop acting like a baby. Leah had given him a simple task to do and he was determined to man up and see it through. Seth gulped in some fresh air and made his way down the porch steps. He breathed deeply as he prepared himself to phase, but then his whole body became rigid as the sickening sweet scent of vampires drifted his way. "NOOOOOO!" He practically screamed. Not now. He stared desperately toward the trees. This couldn't be happening. He had to get to Jacob and bring him home, but at the same time he couldn't leave his sister to defend Bella alone. He almost came apart due to his frustration.

It was a few seconds later that the cold ones came into view. Seth braced himself, his body taut and ready to phase. It was only then that he noticed something odd. It was definitely two vampires, one male, and one female. But the female seemed to be in trouble. The male was carrying her in his arms. Her head was lolling against his chest as the desperate male charged toward the Black's little redwood house. It took Seth a moment to recognise who these cold ones were. The female's vibrant red hair gave her away. It was Victoria! In his grief stricken state Seth hadn't recognised her scent. Her male companion must be Riley.

"Where is she?" Riley was in front of Seth now. His shoulder length brown hair blew wildly in the strong wind. His white face was full of desperation. "Where is Bella?"

Seth got in Riley's path, his young face fierce. "You stay the fuck away." He yelled.

"Don't be an idiot." Riley was practically screaming he was so distraught. Victoria's lips parted and she moaned Riley's name. "She's dying. They both are." Riley continued in anguish. "Take me to Bella now."

Seth didn't know what to do. He stared at Riley and then toward the house. "There's nothing that can be done." He said hopelessly. "Just go and let her die in peace. I don't want to hurt you unless I have to. I can see you're as upset as me. Go away and mourn your mate in peace."

"Fuck this." Riley muttered through gritted teeth. "Just take me to her otherwise I swear I'll be the one ripping you to pieces."

Victoria's head moved slowly. She clawed at Riley's already tattered shirt. "You need to s…suck James' ven…venom out of her." She gasped. Even those few words cost her. Victoria's eyes rolled in the back of her head and she became limp.

Inside the house there was a desperate cry, almost a howl. It was Leah. Seth nearly came undone. He turned on his heel and ran inside the house, desperate to get to his sister. He found Leah kneeling on the floor beside the Black's old couch. She was rocking Bella's lifeless body back and forth, keening. Seth had never seen his strong willed sister so broken before. He dropped to his own knees and cradled both Leah and Bella, scooping them up in his arms. He had forgotten all about Riley and Victoria.

"I need to get to her." Riley's smooth voice broke through the haze of the Clearwater's grief filled haze. "If you don't let me suck James' remaining venom out of her veins…." He left the rest unsaid.

Leah stared up into the vampires tormented eyes. He looked almost human. He had laid Victoria gently on the couch beside Bella. The red head's face was hidden beneath her long red hair. Seth stiffened beside his sister. He glared at Riley with hate contorting his face. "I won't let you desecrate Bella's body. Get the fuck out of here." His dark eyes were blazing. He was on his feet now, towering over the shorter vampire.

"Sethy, stop." Leah cried. She untangled herself from Bella and stood next to her brother. Her gaze was fixated on Riley. "Can you really do that?" She asked. "Can you save her?"

"I don't know." Riley's young face was full of doubt. "I'm a newborn. Without Vicki to keep me in check I don't know if I'll be able to stop."

"I'll stop you." Leah turned her gaze onto her brother.

Seth stared back at her in disbelief. "You can't seriously allow this. Jake will hate you forever."

"He's not here. This is my decision. If it saves Bella I won't care." Leah said with a determined jut of her chin.

The two siblings stared each other down until eventually Seth's shoulders slumped in defeat. He stepped away from Bella's body. "You go too far and I'll kill you." He warned Riley.

"If I fail then it won't matter." Riley gazed upon Victoria's lifeless form one last time. "I'll join you soon, my darling." He whispered. He leaned down and kissed the top of her head. Rising to his feet again he returned his attention to the Clearwater siblings. He seemed calmer now. "I'm ready."

* * *

Leah knew she would never be able to wipe this memory from her mind. It would forever haunt her dreams. Seth had turned his face away. He couldn't watch. Leah saw Riley kneel gracefully before Bella. He gently raised her left wrist and examined the silvery scar of James' bite mark. His brow furrowed as he licked his lips a few times, then very carefully he placed his own teeth over the scar and closed his eyes. Leah felt sickened as she watched Riley begin to sway. As Bella's blood began to flow through his poisoned lips, an expression of pure ecstasy crossed Riley's beautiful face. This went on for a good sixty seconds. Leah saw his red eyes glow as they opened again, he looked feral, dangerous. His whole body shuddered. How long was she supposed to wait? Leah's gaze flicked anxiously to Bella. Her skin was marble white. Her lips had turned blue. Riley was killing her. Leah was about to leap forward and rip the vampire away from her friend, when suddenly Bella's whole body jerked. Her brown eyes opened wide, her lips turned from blue to blood red. They parted in a silent moan.

Next to Bella Victoria's body began to move. Her head lolled backwards, her vibrant red hair fell to one side revealing her face. Her eyes were open. Like Bella her lips parted in a silent moan. They were coming to life. Riley's body shuddered as his gaze drifted to his mate. Victoria was mouthing something now. Riley gasped. "Stop." Victoria whispered. "Stop, you're killing her now."

Riley continued to stare at Victoria. His whole body was screaming at him to continue, to drain Bella dry. She had the sweetest blood he had ever tasted, it was like nectar. He felt hot hands grip his shoulders, wrenching him away. Leah and Seth were fighting with him, trying to yank him away. He fought them. Then suddenly Victoria was in front of him. Her cold hands cupped his face lovingly. She cooed his name. "Enough now, my love. Let go."

Riley shuddered one last time and finally released Bella. Victoria kissed his bloody lips in joy, her hard arms embracing her lover. "You did it, lover." She purred. "You saved us all. You were the one. You were the key."

* * *

Bella was wrapped up in the Clearwater siblings. She could hardly breathe they were hugging her so tight. Seth was crying with exultation. He couldn't believe it. It was a miracle. Leah's own face was running with tears. Bella gave up on escaping and nestled between the two wolves until they were ready to calm down. Eventually Seth and Leah released Bella. They couldn't stop smiling they were so happy. Bella's smile was as wide as theirs. Her memory of what had happened was hazy and she was glad of it. Her gaze drifted toward Riley and Victoria. They were clasping each other tightly. It was the most human Bella had ever seen Victoria as she watched her embrace Riley.

"I need to see Jacob." Bella swiped at her eyes. Her body was still on a high. She was thrumming with life. She could hear her heart beating strongly in her chest. "We have to tell him it's all going to be alright."

Victoria stilled in Riley's arms. Her expression had hardened. "It's not over yet." She hissed. She stroked her lover's cheek with gentle fingers as Riley's face dropped. "But it soon will be."

"What do you mean?" Bella faltered. "The venom is out of my body. The bond between us is gone."

Victoria's lip curled backwards. "But not for me. There is one more."

Bella took a few seconds to catch up. "Amy." She breathed. "James bit her too." Victoria was on her feet and running out of the house, Riley hot on her heels. They were gone in a blink of an eye. "Shit, we need to go after them." Bella said wildly. She locked eyes with Leah and Seth. "We have to warn Jacob."

"I'll go." Seth offered.

Bella's eyes burned with an inner fire that Leah and Seth had never seen before. She was the same but different. Something had shifted within her. There was an aura of power emanating from her that wasn't evident before.

"Hot damn, sister." Leah swore. "Come on, we need to move. How are you at wolf riding?" She arched one perfectly manicured eyebrow.

"I'm about to find out." Bella's eyes shone as she locked eyes with the she-wolf. The game was on.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	35. Chapter 35

**Back to the Beginning**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thanks for the reviews guys! You rock!**_

 **Part Thirty Four**

Amy's screams of rage were terrible to hear. She struggled violently, trying to disengage Riley's hold on her mouth. She tried to bite his hand, but his marble skin was unharmed. Victoria's teeth scraped along the crease in Amy's elbow causing the red headed vampire to lose her grip. She cursed, grabbing the hybrid's arm as she attempted to regain her hold. Jacob, Bella and his pack continued to watch this three way fight in fascination. For an old woman Amy had an inordinate amount of strength. She heaved her huge bulk around in a circle, trying again to dislodge Riley's grip. Victoria was still valiantly trying to sink her teeth into James' old bite mark, but was finding it difficult. Riley was determinedly holding on, but Amy wasn't done. The wily old witch ducked down, bringing the two vampires with her. Victoria and Riley were surprised by this unexpected move. Their heads collided sending them reeling apart. It was the chance Amy needed. She cackled as she rolled across the ground like a ninja right toward where Jacob and Bella were standing.

Jacob immediately pushed Bella behind him. His pack swarmed around him defensively, shielding their Alpha and his mate from the hybrid's view. Amy's lips drew back over her poisoned teeth. She hissed, sounding more like a snake than ever. "Didn't you think I wouldn't be prepared for something like this?" She snarled. Her eyes were beginning to darken to a violent shade of burgundy. Her true colours were seeping through. Her stench was so bad that even Riley and Victoria were retching. Amy laughed again. Her gaze was drawn to the agitated wolves. "You are all fools. I am more powerful than you can ever imagine." Her lips twitched as she began to mumble something unintelligible to the human ear.

Before anyone could react everything went dark. It was blackness so thick that nothing could penetrate it. The wolves were blinded as was their Alpha. Victoria and Riley stumbled around helplessly as they tried to make their way towards each other by sound alone. Jacob felt his heart hammering in his ears. He fumbled around, trying to locate Bella. He couldn't see her and it frightened him. He dared not call out in case he alerted Amy to his whereabouts. His pack emitted panicked howls. They bumped into each other, their legs tangling. The darkness was suffocating.

"I killed Ephraim." Suddenly Amy's sibilant hiss was in Jacob's ear. He recoiled, whirling around, feeling completely disorientated. He heard Amy's wicked laughter surround him on all sides. He couldn't tell in which direction it was coming from. It was like she was everywhere. "Are you afraid, Jacob Black?" Amy's voice was in his ear again. "You should be."

Jacob remained quiet. He didn't want to give Amy any more power than she already had over him. He tried to contain his panic. He needed to remain calm and focused. His life and Bella's depended on it. He wished he could tell where Bella was. He strained his eyes, but all that confronted him was the same impenetrable blackness. It was thick, like black smog. Every time he breathed it burned his lungs. He could hear his brothers hacking and coughing.

"You should never have underestimated me." Amy continued aggressively. "Ephraim did and he paid the price." Jacob flinched as he felt a cold, treacherous hand touch his face. The fingers gripped his chin in a pincer like hold. His face was wrenched forward and he was suddenly confronted with Amy's horrifying visage hovering in front of him. "You were bewitched by her beauty." She spat angrily. "I tried to get you to notice me, but you were bewitched by her charms. Did you really think I would let you get away with ignoring me? "

"I am not Ephraim." Jacob growled as he shoved Amy away from him. Her image dissipated and he was faced with darkness again.

"His soul resides within you." Amy was suddenly in front of him again. Her red eyes glowed maliciously. "As her soul resides within the police chief's daughter." Her expression darkened. "The spirits thought they could fool me by hiding her soul within the pale face. But I knew." She tapped the side of her head. "I always know. Neither of you can escape me. I will continue to destroy your happiness forever, over and over."

"You're sick and twisted." Jacob retorted through gritted teeth. Amy's foul stench made him want to gag. He was doing his best to try and listen to the sounds around him. He could still hear his brothers, but they seemed further away now. To his left he heard Victoria's frightened voice calling out to her lover. Jacob didn't think he had ever heard the crazed red head panicked. Things must be bad if she was falling apart. He wondered whether everyone was having the same experience as him, or whether each of them suffered a different torment.

Amy's face appeared out of the gloom again. Her white hair was coiled around her head like snakes. She looked like a gorgon. She seemed to loom larger and larger in his field of vision. He felt like he was shrinking. He raised his head, looking up, up. Amy glared down at him; her red eyes were like two burning coals in her round face. She leered at him, mumbling the same incoherent phrases he had heard before. Jacob's hands lodged around his throat. He was choking. Icy fingers were squeezing the life out of him. Amy's crazed laughter rang in his ears. "You will die just like Ephraim. He couldn't fight me. In here." She tapped the side of her head again. "In here I am stronger than ever."

"That's where you're wrong _."_

 _Bella!_

Jacob gasped, his dark eyes widening in disbelief mixed with joy. His Bella strode into view. She was bathed in an ethereal light. She looked like an angel. The tightness in his throat eased and he was able to breathe again. He struggled to rise. Amy's face was a picture of rage. She screeched in anger. "Bella." Jacob gasped.

Bella didn't respond. Her whole focus was on her nemesis. Amy's teeth dripped with venom as she snarled. She began to cast a curse on Bella, mumbling the same unintelligible phrases as before. Bella's laughter rang bright and true. She smiled victoriously. "It won't work on me." Bella called out loudly. "My shield prevents you from hurting me. Yes, I worked it out you old fraud. My mind is my power. Here I can conjure up anything I need." In her hand appeared a lighter. Bella flicked it until a tiny flame burst into life. "The best way to get rid of a witch is to burn her." She cried. With one flick of her wrist Bella set Amy on fire.

* * *

"It's okay, I'm here sweetheart." Bella crooned. She ran her fingers through Jacob's hair over and over. His breathing was rapid. His eyes were shut tightly, teeth clenched. "It's over, Jacob. You can open your eyes."

It took him a while to regain control over his own body. When he did he forced his eyes to open. His vision took a second to clear, but when it did, he found himself gazing up into Bella's beautiful face. She was smiling joyously. To him she looked like an angel. Then other faces hovered above him. There was Leah and Sam, then Quil and Embry. Paul, Jared and Seth hovered around the edges. It took Jacob a while to realise he was lying flat on his back with his head resting in Bella's lap. "What the hell happened?"

"She got in your head, dude." Quil replied.

"She got in all our heads." Embry added.

"That was the source of her power." Sam exchanged a glance with Leah. His own experience would haunt him for a long time. "She gets into your mind and messes with it."

"We think that's how she hurt all the others." Leah continued. Her eyes were still focused on Sam. Like the others she was still traumatised about what she had gone through at Amy's hands. Each had suffered their own unique confrontation with her. "She drove them mad until they died." A lone tear dribbled out of her eye. Sam put his arm around her and drew her close. Leah swallowed thickly before a small smile lit up her face. "But then Bella appeared and kicked her ass."

"I kinda did, didn't I?" Bella returned Leah's smile sadly. Jacob still had his head resting in Bella's lap. He really didn't want to move. He felt so rested, so at peace. Bella was still running her fingers through his hair soothingly. He continued to focus his gaze on her beautiful face. He was so proud of her, so in awe. "It was when she attacked that I finally figured it out, Jacob." Bella revealed. "I had felt the shift in my mind before, but never really understood it. It's what protected me as I moved through time again and again. It's what protected me from Amy in the end. I finally figured out how to use my mental shield to block her, to stop her hurting you, to stop her hurting everyone. I confronted her on her own turf and she had no power over me anymore."

"Where is she now?" Jacob sighed as he forced himself to move from his comfortable position.

"Victoria is finishing what she started." Bella pointed out. She moved aside so Jacob could stand up. He felt a bit wobbly on his legs but he could feel his strength returning. His eyes were drawn to Riley and Victoria. The red head was finishing sucking James' venom out of Amy's veins. The old witch was lying helplessly on the ground, her eyes unfocused. She looked wizened, ancient. "She's weak. The more Victoria drains her, the weaker she gets. James' venom was sustaining her life. Without it she is powerless to cast any spells."

Jacob reached out and pulled Bella into his arms. He needed to hold her, to feel her safely pressed against his body. He had been so scared. It was sobering feeling so helpless. Amy had him in her thrall. Without Bella's mental shield blocking Amy's attempt to kill him like she had Ephraim, he would have been dead by now. Bella's arms slipped around his waist and she held on equally as tight. "I thought I'd lost you." She confessed in a low voice. "It was dark and I couldn't find you."

"But you did." Jacob said huskily. He pressed a kiss into her soft hair. "You saved me, Bella. You saved everyone."

"No, you've got it backwards." Bella whispered. "It was all of you who saved me. Without your love and belief in me Amy wouldn't have been defeated. I needed to change, Jacob. I needed to make the right choices, follow the natural path. I couldn't have done that without you, without any of you." Bella's eyes glistened with tears as she pulled away from Jacob and gazed at the others.

They had all heard Bella's emotional confession. Slowly the pack converged on the Alpha and his mate. They all began to hug each other, all equally as emotional as Bella and Jacob. They were a family and Jacob and Bella was its heart. Their love for each other bound them all together. Amy was forced to witness this union and her old heart shrank in despair. This is what she had tried to prevent. The happiness swelling among the group was like a tourniquet squeezing the last drops of hate from her heart. She couldn't cope with her defeat. Her wrinkled mouth opened in a silent scream. She no longer had breath to shout or curse. Victoria was draining her dry. Amy's chest rose and fell one last time, before her head lolled to one side and she died.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	36. Chapter 36

**Back to the Beginning**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews.**_

 **Part Thirty Five**

Bella held onto Jacob's hand tightly as they faced Victoria and Riley. Amy's body had already been removed from the scene. Her final death mask had been a sickening sight to behold. Even in death her face still registered hatred. The wolf pack surrounded their leader and his mate. Just because the vampires had helped end their joint nemesis, it didn't mean that the two cold ones were now considered friends. They would always remain an enemy and a threat to the human race as a whole. Jacob mulled over what to do. He didn't want to attack Riley, especially. The newborn had been nothing but helpful to his cause. Victoria was another matter altogether, her sordid history spoke for itself. But despite this Jacob couldn't discount what she had done. It was a conundrum that was proving difficult to fix. It wasn't as if he could negotiate a treaty with them. He doubted Victoria would comply and agree to change her ways.

"It seems we all got we wanted." Victoria stated clearly as a sly smile crossed her face.

"So it seems." Jacob replied carefully. "But the question is what you plan to do now."

Victoria's eyes flicked to Bella, who thus far had remained silent. Her expression became thoughtful, calculating. "That is none of your business."

"I think it is." Jacob's voice became hard. He stepped defensively in front of Bella, shielding her from the red head's view. "I don't like you. I don't like what you are. Everything about you sickens me. You are selfish to the core. You only helped us to get what you wanted. You had no compunction in risking Bella's life over and over to achieve your aims. In this life you didn't go as far as sacrificing innocents to get what you wanted, but that was only because of Bella. We all know how far you would have gone to save your lover."

Victoria hissed. She hunkered down, her arms braced as if she was going to attack. Jacob's words had angered her. Almost immediately Riley placed a gentle hand on Victoria's shoulder. "Easy now, my darling." He soothed her. Victoria's top lip curled backwards but she listened to Riley and stood down. "You owe us, Jacob Black." Riley pointed out easily. "You owe us free passage off your lands."

"Yes, but how long until you return." Jacob retorted. He had to admit Riley impressed him. For a newborn vampire he had exemplary control. More so than his wild mate. Riley also seemed to have control over Victoria. The more feral vampire respected her lover enough to take heed of his advice. In the long run who knew how much influence that Riley could exert over the impetuous red head? But still, this didn't negate the fact that they were both killers.

"We promise to avoid these lands." Riley continued nonchalantly as if it was no big deal.

"Your word is not good enough." Jacob growled.

"I have nothing else to offer you." Riley hushed Victoria, who was getting riled up again. "This area was once my home. My family still resides here. My sister…." Pain crossed Riley's face. It made him look more human. "My memories have faded, but I still remember Sophie. I still remember the feelings of love I held for her before…." He sighed heavily as he noticed Victoria scowling. "I don't regret what I am now." He was saying that to reassure his mate more than anything else. "But I won't risk being around the place where she still lives. I don't want any harm to come to her." He stood resolute. His eyes locked with Victoria's. "I will never come back to this area and neither will she. Will you my darling?" Riley stroked Victoria's face lovingly. She gave a subtle shake of her head as she continued to gaze into his eyes.

Jacob glanced at Bella and then behind him at his pack. This was ultimately his decision. He was wavering. He could tell that Bella was swayed by Riley's sweet words. The vampire had never done anything to directly harm Bella, unlike his mate. But Riley did seem to have an extraordinary amount of control over Victoria. She loved him. Maybe that was what Jacob had to trust in. He would never be able to change their natures. They were what they were. He felt Bella squeeze his fingers, showing her silent support. He returned the pressure gently showing he understood. "You can go." He said eventually, he was directing his words to Riley. "But if I get the smallest hint that you've double crossed me and been within a hairs breadth of my lands, then I'll not hesitate to kill you."

Victoria snarled at Jacob, but Riley quietened her. "It will never happen." He said quietly.

"My pack will escort you off the reservation. I suggest you run, and run fast." Jacob commanded. He motioned for the gathered wolves to begin the chase. Almost at once Riley and Victoria sped off, their forms a blur. The wolf pack was hot on their heels. Soon they disappeared within the trees and were out of sight.

"Are you okay?" Bella asked in concern. She could sense that Jacob was conflicted about his decision.

"Did I do the right thing?" Jacob questioned. His handsome face was troubled.

Bella reached up and cupped his face between her hands. She drew his head closer to hers. "Yes." She stated firmly so that the lingering doubt was extinguished in his mind. "You did the right thing."

Jacob smiled in relief. "I love you, so much."

"Love you more." Bella returned his smile before closing her eyes and kissing him.

* * *

 _ **Two months later;**_

Life was certainly a lot quieter over the intervening months. The stresses and strains of the previous weeks were replaced with different ones. Now the threat of Amy was gone, life returned to normal. Or what could be described as normal if you discounted the supernatural element. Jacob and Bella were forced to deal with the mundane issue of their education. Neither was willing to sacrifice much of their free time sitting in front of their computers doing endless assignments. Charlie and Billy were adamant though. In order to secure their future, both of them needed to graduate. It wasn't only them who were forced back to school. Seth had to return to mainstream education, much to his chagrin. Being the youngest shifter put him at a disadvantage. The other members of the wolf pack were doing similar courses as Bella and Jacob in order to graduate. They had missed too much schooling to return to the tribal school like Seth. Patrolling at odd hours took up too much of their time.

Bella found a part time job at the diner to supplement her income, while Jacob had begun to fix up old cars. He bought them at cost price, fixed them up, and then moved them on. He made a small profit each time and he began to save. He still spent each night with Bella. Billy certainly knew when Bella stayed over, but he refrained from commenting. Charlie on the other hand didn't know when Jacob snuck in his house at night. Or at least he pretended not to. Sometimes Bella was certain he wasn't as ignorant as led her to believe if the disapproving looks he gave Jacob occasionally weren't evidence enough. It was obvious how close they were. In fact the Chief's house had become like a second base for the wolf pack. Often Charlie would come home from a long day at work to find his kitchen overrun by Jacob and his buddies. His daughter would be presiding over the chaos going on in his kitchen with ease, as if feeding a group of humungous guys, plus Leah Clearwater, came naturally.

Despite huffing about it on occasion, Charlie didn't really mind. He could see the change in his daughter. It was like she had adopted an unruly bunch of boys and was trying to nurture them. He had to concede that coming home to find his house packed to the rafters gave it life. Often Billy was in the midst of the chaos, Harry too. And wherever his two best friends were, you could guarantee Charlie would be by their sides. So as eclectic as it sounded, this mishmash of people began to morph into what could be described as the perfect family unit. It was odd to be sure, but for them it worked. And Bella thrived on it.

* * *

One night Jacob and Bella were returning from a night out. As they often did these days they had been on a double date with Leah and Sam. The four of them were a tight knit unit. They had been to see a live band in Port Angeles. It was quite late. Everyone was staying over at the Black's. With Emily still firmly entrenched at the Clearwater's, none of them wanted to risk Sam crossing her path. It was still a sad indictment of the fear that still resided in all of them about imprinting. Sam was still unwilling to test whether Jacob's theory was correct, that now he was Alpha, Sam's latent imprint with Emily would be nullified.

Quil had texted Jacob letting him know that he and Embry would meet up with them. As Sam drove his truck down the dirt track leading to the Black's, they saw Jacob's wingmen waiting on the front porch. Sam parked up and they all climbed out. Jacob hailed his best friends, grinning. Bella laughed as she watched the man she loved bomb toward his best friends and engage in a mock fight with them. It was times like these that served to remind her how young they all still were. Sam strolled behind Bella, his arm around Leah. He shook his head at his brother's antics. Leah just smirked. She had seen this so many times before.

They were all so preoccupied having fun that none of them heard another vehicle coming down the dirt track. Jacob and his friends were making so much noise as they fought in his front yard that they were creating quite a racket. Billy had come outside to yell at his son to keep the noise levels down. It was only as the lights of the vehicle flashed around the bend in the dirt track that everyone turned around to look. Leah immediately froze as she recognised the car. It was Emily's. She felt a lump lodge in her throat as she stared at her cousin. Emily had parked the car and was in the midst of climbing out. She wasn't alone. She had her sister and niece with her.

"Oh, shit." Jacob cursed. His eyes sought Bella's. They looked at each for a long moment before they both sprang into action. Jacob hurried over to Sam, who seemed rooted to the spot. He was like a rabbit caught in the headlights of an approaching car. Leah was practically hyperventilating. "Sam, move." Jacob snapped at his beta.

Sam was startled into life. He whipped around, trying to avoid looking in Emily's direction. Emily was calling out a greeting to her cousin, eager to introduce her sister to the others present. Little Claire was crying, obviously overtired because it was so late. "I've been waiting for ages to show my niece off. You're always out, Lee." She scolded her cousin. Her tone didn't hide the hurt. "Well I've tracked you down now."

Leah couldn't form words. All her nightmares were coming into play all at once. She felt sick. She leaned against Bella for support. Jacob was trying to steer Sam out of harm's way. Uley wasn't the only problem. Quil was nearby. What if he made eye contact with the bawling youngster? Claire had her long hair done up in two long braids. Her chubby cheeks glistened with tears.

"Perhaps you should take her inside the house." Bella suggested desperately. She wanted to get Emily and her relatives out of the sight of Sam and Quil. But Emily wouldn't be swayed. She was still trying to get her cousin's attention and was pouting now.

Quil decided to make a run for it. With his head down so he wouldn't make eye contact with anyone he charged forward. But in his haste he barrelled right into Sam. They both staggered, bumping into Emily who was standing in front of Leah. Sam jolted away from Emily as if he had been electrocuted. He inadvertently raised his eyes to look toward Leah, but made eye contact with Emily instead. He stilled, a horrified expression crossing his face as he realised what he had done. Emily was staring back at him, frowning. There was a long moment of silence broken only by a quiet sob from Leah.

Then slowly Emily's gaze slid away from Sam. She turned her attention to Quil. His head was still down. "You stupid ass. Look where you're going. You could have knocked my niece over." Emily bypassed Sam as if he didn't exist and slapped Quil on the arm. He raised his head in surprise, looking directly into Emily's eyes. Emily's mouth snapped shut as she stared back at him, confusion written all over her face.

"Mommy." Claire said loudly, breaking the tense silence. "Why is Auntie Em looking at the silly boy?" She was twirling one of her plaits around her finger. She was no longer crying but gazing at her Aunt with interest.

Leah was breathing easier again. Sam had regained his composure. His face broke out into a relieved smile. It hadn't happened. He had looked into Emily's eyes and he was fine. He ran over to Leah and planted a smacker on her lips, causing everyone to look their way, except for Quil and Emily, who were still gazing at each other as if no one else existed.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	37. Chapter 37

**Back to the Beginning**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Epilogue**

 _ **Five years later;**_

"Are we there yet?" Bella whined.

"Impatient much?" Jacob countered, laughing.

Bella tried to lift the blindfold covering her eyes as she tried to sneak a peek. But Jacob caught her. He tugged the eye mask firmly over her eyes again. Bella huffed impatiently. "You're enjoying this." She scolded him.

Jacob laughed again. He put his arm back around Bella's waist and guided her forward. "I promise we're nearly there, honey."

Bella emitted a theatrical sigh. She was having trouble containing her excitement. She was finally getting to see the end results of the project Jacob had been working on for the last year. She had graduated college only the week before. She had her teaching degree and already had a job lined up at the tribal school. Bella was looking forward to knuckling down to work. During her time at college, Jacob had been steadily building up a business of his own. It had taken a lot of blood, sweat and tears, and a huge business loan guaranteed jointly by Charlie and Billy, but finally Jacob was the proud owner of his own garage. It was still in its infancy, but so far the financial projections looked good. Jacob had been able to employ young Seth Clearwater as his apprentice. Embry and Quil were his co-workers. A special little office had been adapted for Billy, he was in charge of the company accounts and he was thriving being able to work again.

"We must be there now." Bella pouted as she stumbled slightly. Jacob chuckled as he kept his arm firmly around her waist. There was a slight giggle. Bella raised her eyebrows. "Is that you Lee?" She demanded. She tried to lift the eye mask again.

Jacob shot Leah Uley a dark look. Sam winked at Jacob. He was enjoying the show. They had just celebrated their one year anniversary. "Busted." Leah smiled, shrugging. "Yes, it's me Bella. Sam's here too."

"Ha ha! I knew it." Bella whipped the eye mask off before Jacob could stop her this time. She was about to say more but became speechless when she got her first glimpse of what Jacob had been working on for months. Her mouth gaped open and her eyes widened. "Is this...?" She couldn't finish her sentence.

"Yes." Jacob chuckled. "Welcome to your new home, honey."

Bella literally screeched with delight. She jumped up and down for a moment before flinging her arms around Jacob's neck. "You kept this quiet for a whole year. I don't believe it. I just…" She was breathless with excitement.

Jacob grinned. He scooped Bella up in his arms bridal style. He laughed again as she began to kiss his face over and over in delight. He loved seeing her so thrilled. Her beautiful brown eyes were shining with happiness. She was vibrating with excitement. "Put me down, Jacob. I want to run in there and…"

"Nope." Jacob popped the P. "I'm gonna carry you inside." He sauntered slowly toward the new building, deliberately taking his time. Sam and Leah followed behind, smiling.

"Jacob." Bella complained. She fidgeted in his arms as she craned her neck to get a good look at the house. It was gorgeous, it was everything she had envisioned or ever wanted. No wonder Jacob had been grilling her about her dream home every opportunity he got. Now she knew why. She couldn't believe it. It was all one storey, in a similar design to Jacob's childhood home, but it was at least three times the size. The wraparound porch gave it a quaint air. Bella smiled when she saw the revamped porch swing placed to the left of the entrance. It was facing the setting sun. Jacob knew how much she loved to sit on the swing in the late evening, a warm mug of coffee in her hand, snuggled against his side, while they watched the sun go down.

Jacob strode up the porch steps, adjusting Bella in his arms as he gently pushed the front door open. It swung inwards revealing the wide hallway. Bella gazed around eagerly, waiting to catch her first glimpse of the interior. It was even more stunning then she expected. The walls were painted a light cream which set off the soft furnishings inside. Bella recognised Jacob and Billy's handiwork as she stared around in admiration. Jacob gently placed her back on her feet. He was enjoying her reaction. He watched as she wandered around the front room, her pretty face a picture of awe. She touched all the furniture, running her fingers over each and every item. Eventually she drifted toward the kitchen. Jacob, Sam and Leah hung back, wanting to allow Bella time to absorb everything about her favourite room of the house. They all heard her squeal with joy as she got her first proper look.

"I can't believe it." She gushed. "I can't believe it."

Jacob exchanged knowing smiles with Sam and Leah. He finally joined Bella in the kitchen and put his arm around her slim shoulders. "You like?" He asked nonchalantly.

"Like?" Bella retorted, throwing her arms wide. "I love!"

The kitchen was huge. It took up the entire back of the house. It was open plan with a massive wooden table placed dead centre. Bella laughed as she noticed that there were enough chairs to cater for each member of the wolf pack, including their fathers. She rushed over there, tugging Jacob along with her. Her fingers traced the smooth redwood of the table Jacob had carved with his own two hands. It was so shiny. Bella bit on her lower lip as she tried to contain her happiness. The kitchen cupboards were made in the same redwood as the table. A large refrigerator dominated one end, and on the other was huge stove. Bella squealed again when she saw it. She pulled Jacob over to the stove and immediately began to inspect it.

"Let me guess you're already planning a huge party." Leah laughed. She could practically see the thought bubble popping above Bella's head.

"We've got to have a housewarming." Bella said gleefully. She whizzed around and threw her arms around Jacob. "I can't believe you kept this secret from me." She whispered adoringly. "God, I really love you, Jacob Black."

"Love you more." Jacob replied as he leaned down to kiss her willing lips. He felt Bella's soft rounded belly pressing into his hip. He couldn't help but caress the small bump with warm fingers. Bella smiled wistfully as she pressed her face into the crook of his neck. She was four months gone. It all seemed too surreal. In a few short months she was going to be a mother. Her mind drifted back as it sometimes did to her old life. The life she had lived before Jacob had saved her. She hoped that the people she loved in her old reality had found a semblance of peace. She would never know, she could only hope. And that in the end is all anyone can do.

 **The End.**

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


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